Wurttemberg Kugelhelm for a One Year Volunteer (OYV)

 This is a very handsome Kugelhelm for a One Year Volunteer in a kingdom of Württemberg artillery regiment. Of the three other kingdoms aside from Prussia, Württemberg, Saxony, and Bavaria, Württemberg fielded only four regiments and had the smallest number of regiments. So these kugelhelms are far scarcer and the fact that this is for a One Year Volunteer makes this example all the scarcer.

The One Year Volunteer program enabled men to enlist for a period of one year. They were required to supply all of their personal gear including uniforms and headdress. The government supplied their weapons. The One Year Volunteer was also required to pay for his food and quarters just like an officer. Generally when they completed their one year of service they went into the reserves and after a time it was not unusual for them to become first NCO’s and later officers as a Leutnant der Reserve.

This kugelhelm is in outstanding condition. The leather of the helmet is supple and in excellent condition. There is little difference in how it looked more than one hundred years ago. As was required by regulations One Year Volunteers were required to have at least one item of their helmets to be NCO. In this instance the original owner opted to have his wappen to have the open crown of an officer. Also he has the pearl ring below the kugel which is officer style. The kokarden and lugs are NCO. The kugel screws off. All of the furniture is brass and is of prewar quality, The Kugelhelm would date from 1900-1910.

As this is a private purchase Kugelhelm the interior is also of officer quality. The brown leather sweatband has seen gentle use. The silk liner is of the smooth silk variety which we see far less often than the ribbed variety. It is complete and in extra fine condition with no tears or rips and is firmly attached to the sweatband. Under the liner we see all of the original hardware, There are some pencil markings which do not designate size. But we would guesstimates the size to be 53-55.

In conclusion this is a very scarce Kugelhelm in 100% complete and excellent original condition. This would be a very difficult to upgrade kugelhelm.

This is a consignment item.