Black Felt Pickelhaubes

[k bandow]

I believe this is the only photo in my collection that shows black felt Pickelhaubes. The majority of the soldiers in the photo have gray felt Pickelhauben, and only one with a leather example. Has anyone ever seen a physical example of one of these?

The soldiers have 168 on their straps, so I believe they are men of 5. Großherzoglich-Hessisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr.168.

 

[b.loree]

The majority of these soldiers have Baden wappen on their helmets.

 

[k bandow]

The majority of these soldiers have Baden wappen on their helmets.

Quite the mix of stuff! Hessian and Prussian buckles, two Hessian front plates, a Grenadier helmet, and it looks like two standard Prussian front plates. I have a few other photos like this where they issued the soldiers anything and everything they could manage to get their hands on. Wild times early in the war, when certain materials started to become scarce.

 

[pickelhauben]

You know I am not sure if they are black.
Maybe a dark green ?
It would be VERY INTERESTING is they were black.
It makes sense if they were made of black felt but all shades of green to green brown I have come across

 

[2nd.Leibhusar]

In Lacarde part 1 he speaks of "grey felt helmet" - en feutre gris-on pages 112 & 113.
Item 1 and 6 and with photo...