Hessen 61st Artillery Officers Pickelhaube

Hessen 61st Field Artillery Regiment Officer Model 1897- pre-1915. Black lacquered leather helmet body with gilded brass trim. Exterior leather finish has crackled with age with minimal lacquer loss, a small spot of lacker loss due is visible on the font underneath the front plate, but it can be easily fixed. Visor stitching is firm. All metal trim has not been cleaned or polished. The trim also has even patina throughout. Interior has leather sweat leather and silk headliner. The sweat leather has an 18mm hole , and has tears towards the front (see photos), the green silk remains in good condition. Officers red and green coverings inside helmet visors.

The helmet has an equal sided crossed spiked base with officer ornamentation around base. This ornamentation was ONLY used by Hessen Artillery Regiments and General Officers. A removable ball ornament is on top of the base (some small dents to ball top). 4 original star retainer to the base would indicate a manufacturing time after april 1915, since the helmet does not have the "Ludwigs Star"...but has the stars, we assume is is a pure 61st! Rounded front visor trim. The frontplate is the Hessen Lion holding an upward sword. The frontplate is held to the helmet body with screw attachment. The backspine is the tradional Hessen style with rivet on the spine (see photo). Rounded chinscales on rosettes. Officers Reich and Hessen cockades. The helmet and frontplate are 100% original. This helmet is a genuine piece that needs some TLC. We left as is. Rare Helmet to find.