Saxony Pickelhaube / Spiked Helmet for Fahnrich in Infanterie

The Imperial German Army had a rank for which the USA does NOT have an equivalent known as a “Fähnrich.” The best way to describe the rank is that it indicated an officer’s candidate or cadet. It ranked above a Senior NCO (Feldwebel), but below the rank of Leutnant (equivalent to the U.S. Army’s 2nd Lieutenant). In Napoleonic times, the same position was referred to as an “Ensign” by the British, even though it had nothing to do with the navy!

This brief explanation allows to begin our description of a Saxon line-infantry regiment Fähnrich’s spiked helmet. [One notable difference exists between this helmet and that belonging to an officer ranking as a Leutnant (or above), which we will address later in this description].
Our helmet possesses a particularly delightful leather body that is smooth, clean, and supple, just like a baby’s bottom! The helmet has had the best of care from every family member or collector who has owned it before it came to us. [To maintain your helmet in the best possible condition, apply a high-quality leather conditioner at least twice a year. Doing so more often is perfectly fine, as it helps keep its leather body moist. A lack of moisture causes the leather to dry out and crack. Using a leather conditioner on ALL of your leather goods will contribute to a longer life of your collectible].

All of its furniture is brass, with the exception of the wappen’s center. The wappen consists of a brass sunburst with Saxony’s silver-toned Coat-of-Arms in its center. We can tell that this is an officer’s wappen because the crown is open (voided). Non officer’s wappens sport closed crowns (this is true for every Imperial German state). Examine those crowns, boys and girls, and you will quickly see that you have an officer, a Fähnrich, or a One-Year-Volunteer’s (OYV’s) helmet.
All of these brass fittings simply glow. Its removable spike is the ultra-tall Saxon officer’s spike. The helmet also sports a pearl ring just below the spike. Its only NON-officer detail is the lack of officers’ stars. Instead, the helmet displays NCO-style studs. Its officers’ theme even extends to the Officers’ Saxon-pattern Reich’s and State’s kokarden. Five Imperial German states (Baden, Hesse-Darmstadt, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Württemberg, and Saxony) employed this particular kokarde pattern instead of the usual Prussian one.

The helmet’s interior features a moderately-used, dark-brown, leather sweatband and a rust-colored silk liner. The liner has seen more use and wear than the sweatband, exhibiting evidence of perspiration. The barest signs of shredding/running are also visible. Under the silk liner we see NO evidence of double holes, and all of its original hardware is present. Its front visor boasts a small label with a number on it. [The latter leads me to surmise that the helmet once belonged to a larger collection and this was its identification number within the collection].

This is an elegant pickelhaube that has been well cared for during the last one-hundred-plus years. [I personally find this spiked helmet more intriguing than an officer’s helmet. The number of Fähnrichs within the Imperial German Army was limited compared to officers and NCO’s]. You will be hard-pressed to find many pickelhauben in such excellent condition, regardless of the rank or regiment represented!