Description
This is a wonderful officer’s pickelhaube that could have been worn by one of FIVE Prussian Infanterie-Regiments: 1. Hannoversches Infanterie-Regiment Nr 74, 2. Hannoversches Infanterie-Regiment Nr 77, 3. Hannoversches Infanterie-Regiment Nr 78, 4. Hannoversches Infanterie-Regiment Nr 164, or 5. Hannoversches Infanterie-Regiment Nr 165. The regiments originally were from the Kingdom of Hannover. Each was formed in 1813 and fought with Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. The five regiments were absorbed into the Prussian Army after the Kingdom of Hannover’s defeat in the 1866 Austro-Prussian War. Kaiser Wilhelm restored the Hanoverian regiments’ battle honors in 1897, including the bandeaux worn on the various regiments that had fought in the Napoleonic Wars. Some had fought only at Waterloo (such as these five regiments). Others also had fought on the Peninsula Campaign in Spain and/or Portugal.
The helmet’s leather body exhibits some minor spidering, although no major faults affect the body. It displays very well. All of its furniture is gilt-toned and a bit subdued, with the exception of the chin scales. The wappen carries the Waterloo bandeau that identifies it as a former Hanoverian regiment and Battle of Waterloo participant. The Reich and state’s kokarden are present. Inside the pickelhaube is a fine leather sweatband that has seen mild use. Its creme-colored silk liner shows some shredding. No double holes appear inside the helmet. All of the original hardware is present. Penciled in is its size, “57,” which makes the helmet larger than average. Overall, it is a very fine example of a hard-to-find spiked helmet.
