Hessen 23 or 24th Dragoon Officer Pickelhaube

Hessen 23rd or 24th Dragoon Regiment - Reserve Officer Model 1897. Black lacquered leather helmet body with all metal trim in silver. Exterior leather finish is matte with age but no lacquer loss. Visor stitching is firm. There are no extra holes in the helmet body. The metal trim has even patina throughout. Interior has leather sweat leather and silk headliner. The silk headliner is in excellent condition. As with all Hessen helmets this helmet has an equal sided crossed spiked base with no officer ornamentation around base. Hessen style fluted spike that is removable.

Rounded front visor trim. The frontplate is the Hessen Lion holding an upward sword with a gilded Hessen style (Gott-Ehre-Vaterland) Landwehr Cross in the center. In an interesting variation, the frontplate is held to the helmet body with 4 all original screw attachments (see photos). The backspine is the traditional Hessen style with rivet on the spine. Rounded chinscales on rosettes. Officers Reich and Hessen cockades. The helmet and frontplate are 100% original. Fine conditioned Reserve Hessen Dragoon Officer helmet.