The Most Common Pickelhaube: The Prussian Model 1915

[b.loree]

The most common pickelhaube that the beginner collector will encounter is the Prussian Model 1915 or M15 as it is often referred to. Thousands of these were brought back to the US in particular, to be used as prizes for War Bond drives. The M15 was introduced for 3 reasons: There was a brass shortage by this point in the war, the new removable spike top reduced the soldiers profile in the trenches and painted steel fittings were cheaper to produce. These fittings were also less shiny if the helmet was worn without a cloth cover.
Why are the Prussian helmets the most numerous in our hobby? The kingdom of Prussian had the largest number of Regiments in the German Army. The kingdom of Bavaria placed second in this regard. Consequently, the Prussian M15 is the first helmet purchase for most of us collectors.

The typical Prussian M15. This helmet is marked to a Pioneer Battalion. The chin strap fittings are original but the leather is modern. The helmet plate has some surface rust and and the dried mud of the trenches. Note how the painted steel fittings have reacted differently (patina) to 120+ years of exposure. Areas where the original paint has been worn off have rusted.

The Reichs kokarde is always worn over the right ear. I had to restitch both visors on this helmet which is a common problem.

The liner which is complete is dyed black similar to the pre war helmets. The yellow marking is the Korps stamp and we can also so see a faint Battalion stamp PB 8. In this example the holes in the sheep skin liner fingers have not been torn/pulled through and they are all there. This is rare as on many liner these fingers are missing or torn.

A rare Oldenburg M15 with spike removed. The leather chin strap on this piece is complete and original. Why is this a rare piece? Oldenburg was a small Dukedom with only one infantry Regiment (JR 91) in the pre war army. The wappen here has 3 pieces...eagle, star and Oldenburg shield.

 

[Mappa]

Very informative thread

 

[Grabenmaxx]

Are there other dukedoms/kingdoms with only 1 regiment? And can they all be considered just as rare or are there differences among them?

 

[Steve Nick]

The "Handbook of the German Army in War edition of April 1918" states that The Kingdom of Prussia and her allied or subordinate states composed 78% of the Imperial Army. Bavaria 11%, Saxony 7% and Wurttemburg 4%.

Some of those subordinate to Prussia units wore a Wapppen distinctly different than the Prussian eagle eg. Hesse Darmstadt, the Meckemburgs and Baden as examples. Even so, the probability of encountering a Prussian Wappen is very high.

 

[coert65]

I have only one Prussian Infantrie M15, but it has a different kokarde, hanseatic, and marked IR 162. Also a Wurttemberg M15, and a Hessen M15.
All 3 are quite rare.

 

[b.loree]

Other characteristics which are found on M15's:
Extra/wider wappen holes: Originally many M95 helmets were stripped of their brass fittings and replaced with steel. In some cases the brass grommets for the wappen were simply ripped out. Sometimes these were replaced with steel or simply left without.
Most M15's in my experience do not have Regimental ink stamps. Some will have Korps stamps (Roman Numerals) however.
Helmets manufactured as M15's will have steel grommets....no extra holes . Both of my examples here have original steel grommets.
Some M15's can have brass parts. For example, I have a Hessen M15 that has brass M91 posts, all other parts are steel.
Many M15's are actually dated with a 1915 ink stamp as well as a manufacturer stamps.
Most pickelhauben have a "size" stamp either on the rear visor or interior of the shell. Example: 56 , 55, 58 etc. Sizes are in centimetres. Pickelhauben do come in half sizes for a better fit. However, these half sizes are rare.
Some M15's have been converted to brass fittings by dishonest dealers.
Newly formed Regiments after 1915 were often given spare M15 helmets from other established units.
Not all M15 spikes are removable. I have a rare Wurttemberg M15 with a non twist off steel spike.
The M15 spike tops do not have a universal sizing. Some fit easily, others will not fit your helmet. Consequently, you could buy a spike top for approx. $200US only to find that it won't fit your helmet!
M15 helmets from the smaller Duchies or principalities are very rare and command top prices. For example, the Brunswick JR/IR 92 helmet with skull and cross bones.
There are also felt government issued helmets with M15 fittings, spikes and ball tops.
There are also private purchase officer helmets manufactured with some M15 characteristics. These include spike tops which are similar to the M15 in that they thread down onto the spike base. These helmets also have special chin scales which fit onto M91 side posts. The purpose of these was so the officer could remove his brass scales and replace them with the simple OR leather strap. A removable officer spike top had the same purpose as the issued M15 top.
Other members comments are welcome here if I have left anything out!
PS: I will be posting further photos to support this post.

 

[CLOVIS 57]

Thanks, that's a good idea.
In fact, the 1915 model is the result of two successive AK0.


1---The 6 April 1915 model stipulates that the fittings on spiked helmets (and helmets in general) must no longer be made of brass or nickel silver but of “feldgrau” iron.
2---The 21 September 1915 model stipulated that the fittings on spiked helmets (and helmets and headgear in general) must have a crest (spike, ball, plate, etc.) that could be removed and retracted without tools.

This explains why the M15s manufactured between May and August feature fixed spikes and balls, but made of feldgrau steel.
These tips do not have a small ventilation hole with a retaining tab. They are manufactured in the same way as the M95;

 

[CLOVIS 57]

---As for the inner lining, the 1895 peacetime models were made of high-quality black patent calfskin.
Below is an M95, converted to an M15; we simply swapped the brass for gunmetal, but the barrel and liner remained the same.




---The 1915 models have an inner lining made of “natural” sheepskin, which is much more delicate and of lower quality.
Below, an M15, newly manufactured after September. Furthermore, new M15s are very rarely regimental, sometimes bearing no markings at all, and sometimes at most the unit designation (following numerous AKO reminders instructing that the enemy should no longer be given any clues as to the identification of German troops).
Sometimes the entire shell is replaced, with a new liner, a different visor, etc. In this case, we note the old and new stitching, as well as plugs and patches used to cover the previous holes, etc.




This is how you can tell an M95 modified to M15

That covers the basics regarding the model. I’ll add some rare variants, though I should note that the M15 is less diverse than the M95, simply because there are no longer any differences between helmets with “silver-plated nickel silver” fittings (Grenadier, Pioneer, etc.) and those with “gold-plated brass” fittings used by the infant

 

[CLOVIS 57]

As mentioned above, such a Prussian M15 helmet could be:---a JR, PB, or TB model; these are all exactly the same.---an active duty, reserve, or Landwehr-Landsturm helmet, since the LWK designation no longer appears on the iron eagle emblem.

In addition, some Hanoverian eagles were no longer produced in gunmetal gray, such as the eagles of the JR87 or 88, for example.
Others are very rare, and I believe that many soldiers in these rare regiments were simply equipped with the standard line eagle.

My 117R lion in gunmetal gray is unique; I don’t know of any others. This is a modified M95 from April 15; the cap is still made of glossy black calfskin, and the tip is fixed, not fluted, but still has a cross-shaped base.
The wings are attached in the same way as on the M95, but they are made of iron. The wingtips are not retractable.

 

[b.loree]

Some excellent photos and comments from Clovis! I forgot to mention the "repair patches" found on some of these converted helmets as well. The JR 115 M15 helmet is also something that I have never seen before! We should also add here that the wappen for regiments with special Napoleonic bandeau were also made in painted steel.

My M15 Hessen with brass M91 side posts:

The kokarde is a repro and again new leather with original fittings on the chin strap. I should also mention that the M15 Hessen also comes with the cruciform spike base as seen on Clovis's helmet.

My Wurttemberg M15 with fixed spike.

Guard M15 shako with original chin strap and feldzeichen.