Baden Line Infantry Officer Pickelhaube, Grand Duchy of Baden ca. 1910

This regulation officer’s Pickelhaube represents the Grand Duchy of Baden’s line infantry within the Imperial German Army, ca. 1907–1914. Baden, though the smallest of the four royal contingents, maintained a proud martial identity under the banner “Mit Gott für Fürst und Vaterland” (“With God for Prince and Fatherland”), the motto displayed on the heraldic griffin that adorns this helmet’s frontplate.

Physical Description

The helmet body is of black lacquered leather with a deep, uniform gloss, showing minimal age checking and full retention of form. All metal fittings are fire-gilded brass, including the tall removable officer’s spike, cruciform base with circular ventilations, front and rear visor trim, and chinscales.

The frontplate (Wappen) features Baden’s gilt heraldic griffin rampant, holding a sword and shield bearing the ducal arms, with the scroll “FÜRST UND VATERLAND.” The finely chased wings and muscular relief characteristic of Baden officer plates are crisp and original; the gilt finish retains rich color with subtle toning from age. The Reich and Baden officer kokarden remain correctly mounted—Baden’s state cockade identifiable by its red-and-yellow concentric rings.

Interior fittings are consistent with officer manufacture: a russet leather sweatband of high quality, matched to a silk liner woven in fine ribbed pattern, here in the typical light-green or champagne shade associated with Baden production. Stitching throughout is intact. All interior hardware is untouched; there are no extra holes behind the Wappen, confirming the plate’s original mounting.

Historical Context: Baden in the Imperial Army

The Grand Duchy of Baden, a southwestern German state bordered by the Rhine, joined the North German Confederation in 1870 and entered the German Empire the following year. Under the Military Convention of November 1870, Baden’s army became part of the Imperial establishment while preserving its distinctive uniforms, cockade, and heraldry. Its regiments formed the XIV Army Corps headquartered at Karlsruhe, later incorporated into the Prussian order of battle.

By 1914 the Baden infantry comprised eight line regiments and one elite guard formation:

1. 1. Badisches Leib-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 109 “Großherzog von Baden”

2. 2. Badisches Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 110 “Kaiser Wilhelm I”
   3–8. Infanterie-Regimenter Nr. 111 – 114 and Reserve Regimenter assigned to the XIV Corps.

Officers of these formations wore the gilt griffin plate shown here, while enlisted men used a brass version of simpler construction. Baden troops earned a reputation for precision drill and loyalty; their units fought from the Western Front’s opening battles through Verdun and the final 1918 campaigns.

The Pickelhaube itself—introduced to Prussian service in 1842 and adopted by Baden in the 1850s—served as both parade emblem and combat headgear until replaced by the M1916 Stahlhelm. Officer helmets of this period, particularly those produced before 1914, reflect private-purchase quality rarely matched afterward.

Collector’s Evaluation

This helmet illustrates the elegant proportions and craftsmanship that distinguish Baden officer examples from the more common Prussian type. The griffin plate’s crisp relief, untouched gilding, and complete kokarden configuration make it a reference specimen for the Grand Duchy contingent. The body remains structurally perfect, the interior original and clean, and the fittings unaltered—criteria that place it among the better-preserved surviving Baden helmets.

Condition: Excellent + (original throughout, minor natural toning).
Provenance: Private collection; no restoration.