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Derrittmeister Militaria

Bavaria Pickelhaube / Spiked Helmet for Reserve Officer in Leib-Infanterie-Regiment

Bavaria Pickelhaube / Spiked Helmet for Reserve Officer in Leib-Infanterie-Regiment

Regular price $4,295.00 USD
Regular price Sale price $4,295.00 USD
Sale Sold out
High-quality Leib-Infanterie-Regiment Reserve Officer’s spiked helmet from the Kingdom of Bavaria’s most elite infantry regiment. Each of Imperial Germany’s four kingdoms, as well as many of its Grand Duchies and Duchies had a regiment that was often their oldest and/or part of their ruler’s private guard, as was the case with Bavaria’s Leib-Infanterie-Regiment. The latter was founded in 1814 during Maximilian Joseph I of Bavaria’s reign. It was garrisoned in the capital city of Munich, and assigned to the I. Bavarian Armeekorps.

The helmet boasts a lovely leather body. Its front visor is squared, as was the case for all Bavarian Infanterie and Kavallerie pickelhauben. A few blemishes show on the exterior, including some areas of cracking, but nothing major. The crown has settled a bit where the cruciform is attached, which is quite common for Bavarian helmets due, in part, to the cruciform size and weight. The primary difference between the Leib-Infanterie-Regiment’s pickelhaube and all other Bavarian Infanterie Regiments is that all its fittings (with the exception of the gold-toned Reserve Officer’s Cross) are silver-toned. The latter include the wappen, chin scales (flat, as is correct for the Infanterie), cruciform, front/rear visor trims, officers’ stars, and the extra-tall fluted spike. The spike is massive. It is one of the tallest that I have ever seen on ANY pickelhaube. It is large even by Saxon standards, which are among the tallest of all pickelhauben spikes. Finally, the helmet’s exterior displays the correct Bavarian and Reich’s kokarden.

The interior sports a well-worn brown leather sweatband that is attached to an equally well used, rust-toned, silk liner. The latter reveals signs of perspiration and even hair oil from the wearer’s head. NO double holes appear under the silk liner, although a couple of the helmet’s original washers are missing. The helmet’s size, 57 ½, has been penciled-in. Anything above a 56 is on the large side. Helmets running from 55 to 56 would be considered medium. Many helmets from the WW I-era range from 53 to 54, and would be classified as small.

This is a pleasing, original spiked helmet that has not been altered. It is also bargain-priced.
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