Imperial German Braunschweig 17. Hussar Reservist Pipe Named Resv. Weinhorn

An original Imperial German Reservistenpfeife (reservist's commemorative pipe), measuring 57 inches in overall length from the mouthpiece tip to the ornamental terminal, presented to and named for Reservist Weinhorn upon completion of his peacetime active service with the Braunschweigisches Husaren-Regiment Nr. 17, the Brunswick Hussars of the Imperial German cavalry, garrisoned at Braunschweig in the duchy of the same name. The piece is a substantial and elaborate example of the cavalry reservist pipe tradition that flourished across the German Empire between the 1880s and 1914, complete in its essential original configuration with two porcelain bowls, the long curved Hussar-pattern stem, carved ebony and bone fittings with regimental devices, original tassels in regimental colors, leather-wrapped lower shaft, and the ornamental turned terminal.

The pipe assembles in the classic Hussarenpfeife configuration. The upper member is a long, gracefully curved smoking stem of darkened horn or vulcanite, terminating at the top in a small bone or ivory mouthpiece formed in a series of turned rings and ovals descending in profile, ending in a flat lip plate. At the lower end of this curved stem is the principal porcelain bowl, a baluster-shaped vessel of fine white porcelain capped at the firing aperture by a hinged Zinn (pewter) lid surmounted by the regimental cranial device of the Brunswick Hussars in cast brass. The hinge mechanism is functional and the lid closes properly to its seat. The porcelain bowl is hand-painted in polychrome enamels with the named dedication "Resv. Weinhorn" in bold gilt Fraktur script, set within a scrolled cartouche above a scenic vignette in raised relief. The scene depicts a Hussar trooper in his stable jacket and red cap embracing a young woman in folk dress, while his bay horse stands harnessed beside them with regimental flags in the background. Beneath the scene runs the cavalry verse in hand-painted black script: "Wenn sich Herz und Mund haben, will das Pferd auch was haben" — "When the heart and mouth have had their fill, the horse must also have something" — the traditional cavalry trooper's maxim placing the welfare of the mount before that of the rider. The bowl is further decorated with applied raised foliage in green and gold and small Brunswick national tricolor ribbons in blue and yellow at the foot.

Below the principal bowl, the pipe assembly continues through a turned ebony shank fitted with three flat cartouches bearing the regimental identification devices in gilt and silvered relief. The uppermost cartouche bears the unit designation "17 Hs" in fine raised lettering, identifying the Husaren-Regiment Nr. 17. The second cartouche carries the regimental cranial emblem and crossed-bones device, the famous insignia of the Brunswick Hussars carried over from their Napoleonic-era predecessors, the Schwarze Schar of Duke Friedrich Wilhelm of Brunswick. A third cartouche on the same shank shows the eight-rayed star device, possibly representing the regimental star or an order of dress emblem. A further heraldic shield on a separate ebony segment shows a gilt and silver device on a red field within a gilt frame, which appears to represent the regimental or ducal arms. Bound around this section of the pipe are the original woolen tassels in the Brunswick Hussar regimental colors of black, scarlet, and yellow, with gilt threading, suspended on a plaited cord wrap.

The middle section of the pipe consists of a spiral-cut handle of bone and dark horn alternating in a barber-pole pattern, capped at each end with carved ebony tulip-form mounts in matching style. This section terminates at the lower end in a further ebony shank carrying a second porcelain bowl, smaller than the principal bowl but executed in matching style: a white porcelain vessel with applied polychrome relief decoration depicting a soldier's homecoming scene with figures, a thatched-roof cottage, scattered acorns, and oak leaves in green and brown enamel, framing a Fraktur verse on the reverse celebrating the soldier's return to civilian life. The bowl has a pewter-capped lid with red felt washer visible at the rim. Below this bowl, the pipe continues through a long leather-wrapped wooden shaft of approximately twenty inches, bound to the carved horn lower fittings with original twine. The terminal is a baluster-turned ebony finial in matched profile to the upper fittings, marking the end of the assembly.

The Braunschweigisches Husaren-Regiment Nr. 17 traces its lineage to one of the most storied cavalry units in nineteenth-century German service. Its origin lies in the Schwarze Schar (Black Corps) raised by Duke Friedrich Wilhelm of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel in 1809 to fight Napoleon, the famous Black Brunswickers whose distinctive black uniforms, fur busbies, and regimental cranial emblem became symbols of resistance to French occupation. The unit fought through the Peninsular Campaign under British colors and served at Waterloo in 1815, where Duke Friedrich Wilhelm himself fell at Quatre Bras. The Hussar component of these forces was disbanded after the Napoleonic period and re-raised in 1867 when the Duchy of Brunswick joined the North German Confederation, becoming the Braunschweigisches Husaren-Regiment Nr. 17 upon integration into the Imperial German Army in 1871. Garrisoned at Braunschweig, the regiment retained the black uniform tradition, the fur busby with the cranial emblem on the front plate, and the regimental motto inherited from its Napoleonic predecessors. It served with distinction in the X Army Corps and was among the most prestigious of the non-Guards cavalry regiments of the Imperial system. The Brunswick Hussars saw active service throughout the 1914 to 1918 period on multiple fronts and were eventually dissolved with the rest of the Imperial cavalry in 1919.

Reservistenpfeifen of this elaborate cavalry pattern represent the highest tier of the reservist commemorative tradition. While infantry reservists most commonly commissioned the porcelain stein, the cavalry trooper traditionally favored the long pipe, which echoed the form of the working trooper's pipe carried in the field and could be displayed standing upright on a wall mount or hung at full length. The substantial 57-inch overall length, the multiple porcelain elements, the named recipient, the full regimental device array, the matched bone and ebony fittings, and the surviving original tassels mark this example as a top-grade commission from a soldier of means or one drawing on family resources for a prestige piece at the conclusion of his service. The Brunswick Hussars are among the most actively collected of all German cavalry regiments, owing to the distinctive aesthetic of the black uniform, the regimental cranial emblem, and the long historical lineage running back to the Napoleonic Wars; pieces explicitly attributed to the regiment command a clear premium across the militaria market.

Condition is honest and consistent with a hundred-plus-year-old assembled pipe of multiple delicate materials. The principal upper porcelain bowl is intact with no cracks or losses, retaining its vibrant polychrome enamels, gilt inscriptions, and applied relief work; the pewter lid and hinged regimental cranial device finial remain firm and functional. The secondary lower porcelain bowl is similarly intact with strong color and crisp relief work, retaining its pewter cap and felt washer. The ebony shanks and turned fittings show light age toning and a few minor surface marks but no significant chips or losses. The "17 Hs," regimental cranial device, star device, and heraldic shield cartouches are all intact with crisp lettering and bright gilt fill. The spiral bone-and-horn handle section is intact with no cracks or separation; minor age yellowing of the bone is present. The original tassels survive in good condition with strong color and only minor age fraying. The curved upper stem is intact, retaining its bone mouthpiece. The leather-wrapped lower shaft shows age cracking and minor surface wear consistent with handling but no losses; the original binding twine and cord wraps are intact throughout. Some softening of the resinous material at the burning aperture of the upper bowl is visible at the antler-style crown, consistent with original use.

Three points carry the collector significance of this piece. First, the named attribution to Reservist Weinhorn combined with the explicit "17 Hs" regimental marking and the regimental cranial device delivers a complete documentary identification that places the pipe with a specific soldier of a specific and highly desirable cavalry regiment, transforming the object from a generic commemorative into a traceable piece of regimental history. Second, the Brunswick Hussars are one of the most actively collected cavalry units of the Imperial German system, owing to the distinctive black-and-cranial-emblem aesthetic and the regiment's Napoleonic lineage; identified Brunswick Hussar pieces appear on the market notably less often than the prestige of the regiment would suggest. Third, the survival of a 57-inch cavalry Reservistenpfeife in essentially complete original configuration, with both porcelain bowls intact, all regimental cartouches present and legible, original tassels surviving with color, and the full length of leather-wrapped stem preserved, represents the top tier of surviving cavalry pipe quality and is appreciably less common than examples missing one of the bowls, the tassels, or sections of the stem.