Hello,
Here is my M1915 prussian picklehaube. It is interestingly dated 1917. The other markings are difficult to figure out, I will have to check the helmet itself once again to confirm them.
Hope you like it.
Phil

Pic 2

Pic 3

Pic 4

The liner

The markings

The markings 2

Thank you for looking
Phil

BTW, i've got it 5 years ago from a french collector who found it in a flea market. It was uncomplete and he just added the chinstrap and the kokades.No extra holes either on this one.
Phil

Hey! Nice Haube! Thanks for showing. I love seeing examples like this - they OOZE with history. Great to see ...and I bet you don't see too many stamped 1917!!

Rob

Hi Rob,
I'm glad you like it. I don't have any answer concerning the late date, thought the fabrication of the picklehaubes was discontinuated after 1916 but all the markings on this one seem originals so...?
Perhaps Mush will enlight us with its knowledge ?
Phil

Hi Phil,

Thats a neat M15 Prussian haube, you have lots of surprises there! It seems that you have an endless supply of haubes.
Well, to be honest, I am also puzzled by the 1917 mark on yr M15 haube, becoz basically, by then the M15 haubes should be no longer ard, those haubes which were still present, were replaced by the erzats haubes, and soon, haubes were phased out altogether, to be replaced by the steel helmet.
But it seems that there are 2 BA marks, one of them is the BA VII 1917 mark, the other seems like the another BKA mark, BKA VII, will look at the marks again tomorrow morning.
And, the liner is still in a good shape, is there any garnitur marks?
My theory is this, this could be a very lucky guy, he survived the first years of the war, and is so doing maintaining his haube, perhaps he was a clerk/non combatant/supply/driver, and he was still alive, and still using the same old haube in 1917 when transfered or when the haube was inspected again, hence the 2 depot marks, but we need to see if there is any garnitur marks on yr haube.
But again, this is just my theory, will have to look at the pics again tomorrow morning.
You have nice haubes with very nice liners and marks, darn, thats soooooo envious

cheers,
Mush

By the way,

Haubes were still ard even after 1916, well, not much after 1917, especially in 1918.
The ersatz had taken over by then. There is a pic on ebay which is very surprising, the presence of Hessen ersatz steel haube, i wll check my files again, hopefully I saved it.

Cheers and good nite
Mush

Hi Mush,
Once again thank you for the info. Will check the markings ASAP.
BTW my english is not very good so could you confirm me what are the "garnitur marks" ? Is it the marks left by the plate on the "shell" ?
Cheers and good nite too.
Phil

Thats an awsome haube! Jon

Thank you Jon.
Phil

Hi Phil,

I just had a good look again at yr haube, there are 2 BA marks, one of them is the BA VII 1917, the other one is BJA VII, BJA is the Bekleidings Instandsetung, its the place where a helmet is send for service or repairs. But then, getting an anwer will sometimes resulting the appearance of more question.

Usually, a haube is first marked at a depot, say, the BA VII 1917 mark, then the haube needed some repair and it was send to the BKA's repair shop, and marked again, the BJA VII mark. But it still doesnt explain the '1917' mark.
Or perhaps, just perhaps, this is just one of those remaining M15 haubes still available in 1917 and it was issued in 1917?? Sometimes also in 1917,the haube was spoiled/pratially destroyed/soiled etc, and was repaired in the BKA VII and stamped again to be re-issued??
All these are something new for me, infact, your haubes give me new stuffs to learn!

Just when you thought you understand abt haubes, you find other examples that are outside the norm. Yours for example.
Like the Baden Inf Rgt 111 for example, for some unknown reason, the Baden 111 always used paint (white/black) for their regt mark instead of stamp or pressed mark, and the regt marks are always hand written and not on the visor, but on the interior, near the spike reinforced round plate.
Check out Peter's Baden, his Baden 111 is the 3rd Baden 111 haube that I saw, and all of them are hand written, which is confusing yet legit.
http://www.germanmilitaria.com/Imperial/photos/G09752.html

Garniture mark, is the mark that scales the "goodness" of the helmet, well, its like a quality scale, I being the best quality, IIII being the poorest, and garniture used roman numerals (I, II, III, IIII), check out the pic with garniture mark, its nt my pic. Garniture marks only appears on EM haube, never on private purcuhase haube.

As the EM haube is basically crown property, say, a guy entered service and recievd a brand new haube, 2 years later, he was out of the army and the haube was returned to the BKA in a poorer condition, remember,its crown property, then someone entered service and the same haube was given to that new guy, since the haube is in a poorer condition, it was marked, perhaps with II garniture mark, and so on.
But, not all helmets has garniture mark.
And again, this is just my theory abt the 1917 mark, believe me, I am also confused.

Hope this helps,

Mush

Hi Mush,
Checked my helmet, no garnitur mark. I confirm the date 1917 and still any answer ot that. No extra holes on the shell neither rewelded plate fixations.
Your info are the most usefull as usual and bring more questions, thank you Mush.
Very best regards
Philippe