German Pickelhaube

One of the most recognizable 19th Century military helmets is the Pickelhaube (German for Point-Bonnet). This spiked helmet was introduced in 1842 by Frederick William IV as a Prussian infantry helmet, Pickelhaube was worn mainly by German military, firefighters and police. Eventually by 1887, most German states adopted this design, as did Russia.

These stunning helmets were originally made from hardened (boiled) leather with a glossy-black finish, reinforced with a metal trim and finished with a brass scaled chinstrap and buckle. Key characteristics in the design include:

• A distinctive spike finial at the crown
• Ornamental front plate signifying the regiment, province or state. Typically a large, spread-winged eagle (most common for Prussia, and the Russians used a traditional Romanov double-headed eagle.
• A distinctive curved neck guard (referred to as lobster-tail helmets by allied forces)
• Two round colored cockades behind the chinstraps attached to the helmet. The right cockade has the national colors (Prussian red, black and white), and the left cockade was used to denote the province of the soldier (Prussia had black and white; Bavaria had white and blue; etc).

All-metal versions of the Pickelhaube were reserved mainly for Cuirassiers (mounted cavalry soldiers), but they were also found being worn in portraits of high-ranking military and political figures.

Our base version of the Pickelhaube is an accurate replica designed after the 1889 Preussen Kurassier Helmet (Prussian Cuirassier Helmet). Made of 18 gauge steel with all the distinctive features, this helmet is a treasure worth capturing.

Preussen Kurassier Options:
(A) Silver toned 1889 Preussen Kurassier with 2-tone spike
(B) Brass 1889 Preussen Kurassier with brass spike
(C) 8th Regiment Edition (black helmet with brass rim, eagle, spike)
(D) 1st to 7th Regiment Edition (black helmet with white rim, eagle, spike)

Note: This item has a 2-day return policy for defects or errors (after which all sales are final).