I recently purchased 3 helmets, here is the second....a common Prussian M15. For most collectors, this will be their first helmet as it is the most common one available. This piece also illustrates every one of the common problems that pickelhaube collectors will find in their hunt for treasure! 
So some photos:
The helmet fittings show use, this is not a "War Bond Helmet", captured in new condition. The helmet is faintly ink stamped to PB 3 (Pioneer Batt. 3), the unusual yellow Korps stamp is smudged and illegible.
Looking along the stitch line, we see that the thread has "popped/broken" and the visor has pushed up into the eagle tail feathers...typical. The shell has shrunk a bit and consequently the wappen is not firmly snugged up to the shell. The sceptre leg has also been bent. The wappen details are crisp. The colour/patina of the spike top in this photo appears to be different than the other fittings but in hand things do match up. Are the white deposits on the wappen caused by the "mud of Flanders" who knows??
I have seen this many times before on M15 wappen.
A unique way of securing a floppy visor! Not my solution. So again, we see the rear visor thread has rotted and the solder on the spine split brad has let go due to shrinkage. Fortunately, that brad is still present and can be resoldered. 
So so typical....the M91 chin strap fittings are still on the posts but buckles and strap are missing! This is why original chin straps are rare and very expensive! The shell finish is in very good condition, small crazings but I have seen much much worse!
The liner is in very good condition...no torn fingers but it does show wear in the usual spots. The smudged yellow Korps marking shows BA ?? plus date in the usual rectangular box. Although invisible in the photo, under proper light, PB 3 can be also be seen. On this piece, some string replaces the pre war leather thong that usually connects the "fingers". No extra holes behind the wappen and original leather wedges through the soldered loops. P.B. 3 Pionier Batl. von Rauch, 1741, Spandau, III A. K. and yes, I know P B 3 before the war had a different wappen but by 1915, I doubt that this was a priority.
So some photos:The helmet fittings show use, this is not a "War Bond Helmet", captured in new condition. The helmet is faintly ink stamped to PB 3 (Pioneer Batt. 3), the unusual yellow Korps stamp is smudged and illegible.
Looking along the stitch line, we see that the thread has "popped/broken" and the visor has pushed up into the eagle tail feathers...typical. The shell has shrunk a bit and consequently the wappen is not firmly snugged up to the shell. The sceptre leg has also been bent. The wappen details are crisp. The colour/patina of the spike top in this photo appears to be different than the other fittings but in hand things do match up. Are the white deposits on the wappen caused by the "mud of Flanders" who knows?? I have seen this many times before on M15 wappen.A unique way of securing a floppy visor!
Not my solution. So again, we see the rear visor thread has rotted and the solder on the spine split brad has let go due to shrinkage. Fortunately, that brad is still present and can be resoldered. So so typical....the M91 chin strap fittings are still on the posts but buckles and strap are missing! This is why original chin straps are rare and very expensive! The shell finish is in very good condition, small crazings but I have seen much much worse!The liner is in very good condition...no torn fingers but it does show wear in the usual spots. The smudged yellow Korps marking shows BA ?? plus date in the usual rectangular box. Although invisible in the photo, under proper light, PB 3 can be also be seen. On this piece, some string replaces the pre war leather thong that usually connects the "fingers". No extra holes behind the wappen and original leather wedges through the soldered loops. P.B. 3 Pionier Batl. von Rauch, 1741, Spandau, III A. K. and yes, I know P B 3 before the war had a different wappen but by 1915, I doubt that this was a priority.
