Amybellars
Well-known member
Very nice garde helmet.
Zinc Prussian Dragoon Officer
- Thread starter b.loree
- Start date
CLOVIS 57
Well-known member
It's because of this kind of deplorable experience that I told Brian I didn't want to buy this headset, which is in the States. Too many uncertainties about how it would get there, too many risks of being heavily taxed, too many risks of seeing it lost. I'm in France. The pros make the annual trip to one or two major American exchanges, and fill a suitcase, or a container.
Otherwise, I would have liked the helmet. The chinstrap can be shaved off, and the scales can be reconstituted in zinc roofing sheet.
Otherwise, I would have liked the helmet. The chinstrap can be shaved off, and the scales can be reconstituted in zinc roofing sheet.
As I said in my response to Clovis, I would have the same problem buying from Europe especially trying to pay for the item. We don’t use bank transfer much here if at all to send money to a different country. Here it is very complicated and expensive to use that to send funds to Europe. A few years back I won a JR 93 wappen on a French auction. Their method of payment naturally was the European one. I looked into that and found it complex, expensive and frustrating. Eventually I said to them…you must have some employee with a PayPal account, let me send them the money….problem solved! 
Steve Nick
Well-known member
Brian:As promised, my Garde officer with a combination of zinc and pre war fittings:
View attachment 51268
Zinc scales and visor trim with pre war wappen, spike and stars!
View attachment 51269
Zinc spine and rosette. It is hard to tell but I suspect that the officer kokarde ring is also zinc.
View attachment 51270
A beautiful pristine interior!I have had this helmet for decades and it is very special to me. Years ago I received an email asking if I would be interested in buying this helmet. It was situated in a small Ontario town on the shore of Lake Huron called Kincardine. My parents lived there for 30+ years, by this time both had passed. I packed up wife and 2 kids in the car and drove 3 hours to Kincardine met the owner and made the purchase. He was the grand nephew of the CEF WW1 doctor who had brought it back as a war souvenir! Never in my wildest collector dreams could I have imagined buying a great helmet out of this small Ontario town! This is an example of one of those special collector memories that most of us older, long time treasure hunters have!
To her credit and despite her flawed personality, it was she who first created this forum and the rest is History!
Interesting story.
I too, have a Gardes officer's helmet that was purchased from the estate of a doctor from Smiths Falls, Ontario (my home town). He also served in the C.E.F. and brought it home as a souvenir. I remembered "old doc Murphy" from my public school days. Of course, then I had no idea what a Pickelhaube was.
I bought it from a collector/dealer in Ottawa when I was in my thirties. That's a while ago!!. One of my favourite helmets.
KAGGR#1
Well-known member
Steve Nick
Well-known member
Steve:
As requested.
Slight damage to the white enamel on the Suum Cique motto and one section of the Wappen crown is missing.
The chin scales seem to have a tombac tone to them depending on the light.
I've had this one for thirty five years or more. It will be one of the last to find a new home.
This has an interesting history because when I bought it it had a Baden officer's Kokarde on it but the Gardes Wappen ghosting was very distinct. So not surprisingly when I got it home I removed the Gardes Wappen and there were two sets of holes.
I believe that Doc. Murphy wanted a conversation piece souvenir to show the folks at home and some enterprising individual "jazzed up" a Baden officers helmet with the much heralded "Prussian Gardes" Wappen.
The folks back home didn't know the difference and I suspect he didn't either. Any way I quite like it and it's not going anywhere soon.
Steve
KAGGR#1
Well-known member
Steve
Nice
Thanks for the photos
It looks like extra holes on the spike base ?
For ventilation ??
Steve
Steve Nick
Well-known member
That's what I figured.
tigerwitha88
Member
Nice garde helmet Alan. Was the front, rear visor and sweatband all dark green?
CLOVIS 57
Well-known member
No, this is an exception.
Usually green under the visor and red under the helmet for officers.
Fawn-brown for Extra-Helm one-year volunteers, or Uffz-Portepee.
tigerwitha88
Member
Yes correct, I once owned one all green but the silk and have seen medium blue as well.
