Beschreibung:

Imperial German Prussian Model 1897 Officer Pickelhaube representing the 1st Garde Regiment zu Fuss. This regiment was the most elite regiment in the Prussian army and was formed in 1688 in Potsdam, the home of the Prussian kings. It was garrisoned in Potsdam along with the Garde du Korps cavalry regiment since its founding. Prince Adalbert was one of Kaiser Wilhelm II's six sons. In the center of the helmet's silk liner is a black "A" beneath the Hohenzollern Crown, Prince August Wilhelm's cypher. The consignor reports this attributes this Pickelhaube to Prince Adalbert. The helmet is made from a polished black leather with silver fittings (front plate, chin scales, base, pearl ring, top, and helmet trim) which are correct for this regiment. The Wappen is made from German silver. There is light crazing to the helmet finish in several areas and the leather is generally supple. The front and rear visors exhibit the usual mild to moderate wear to the finish. An officer's Garde star is affixed to the front Hohenzollern Wappen, which is originally mounted to the helmet. The Garde star adorns the center of the eagle and displays a fantastic combination of multicolored enamel with the black and gold eagle of the House of Hohenzollern's nobility. The spike base is silver, and has been mounted with golden stars. While gold stars are not the norm, the nuts securing the stars do not appear to have been disturbed for a very long time. The pearl ring, top, and fluted spike are mounted to the ring, and are also silver. The fluted spike is loose, ill fitting, is in a different shade of silver then the base, top, and pearl ring, and is known to be the type found on Bavarian helmets. The silver chinstrap is intact, and the correct officer scales are mounted to the helmet. The interior leather sweatband has the stamp "R21" in red ink, and a "PB63" stamp in black ink. Both numbers may represent museum inventory numbers. The latter number is has a red line through it, which might indicate an older inventory number with the former being the replacement number. There are letters and numbers written on the red inside of the rear neck guard, and appear to be a "R", an illegible letter, and "133". The cream silk liner is damaged and has become detached to approximately 45% of its circumference, with staining, fraying, and wear in several areas. There is fraying below the black "A" discussed above. All of the interior fittings are intact and do not present any usual wear. CONDITION: Helmet was certainly worn and is in excellent condition overall. WZ Condition: Excellent Name Value Paperwork