Description
Definite rarity, an Infanterie-Regiment Nr 92 Landwehr Officer’s Pickelhaube. (SEE – Casques A Pointe by Jean Louis Larcade Volume 1 page 72)
I know you are more used to seeing Infanterie-Regiment Nr 92 helmets displaying the Totenkopf (Death’s Head), but another version was used earlier by the regiment’s Bataillon Nrs I and II. After 1912, the entire regiment switched to the wappen sporting the Totenkopf. The earlier examples are seen far less often. Although many collectors prefer the Totenkopf wappen, this beautiful helmet deserves equal consideration, primarily because the wappen’s center features enamel on it.
[PLEASE NOTE: the presence of enamel on wappens is rather unusual (IF you discount Prussia’s Garde-Regiments). Only SIX Imperial German Army regiments incorporated some form of enamel into their wappens. They were 1). Braunschweig’s Infanterie-Regiment Nr 92, 2). Baden’s Leib-Grenadier-Regiment Nr 109, 3). Hesse-Darmstadt’s Leibgarde-Infanterie-Regiment Nr 115, 4). Prussia’s Dragoner-Regiment Nr 2, 5). Württemberg’s Dragoner-Regiment Nr 26, and 6). Prussia/Hannover’s Ulanen-Regiment Nr 13. The latter’s tschapka featured a Prussian Garde Star along with various Hanoverian bandeaux above a Prussian Eagle, thus resembling a Prussian Garde-Regiment wappen with attached bandeaux].
Braunschweig’s Infanterie-Regiment Nr 92 had a long and proud history. It was raised in 1809 and fought extensively in Spain under the command of Field Marshal Wellington during the Napoleonic Wars, suffering substantial casualties. It was garrisoned in Braunschweig’s capital city and assigned to the X. Armeekorps along with other Hanoverian regiments. [The Duchy of Braunschweig was a vassal state of the Kingdom of Hannover. Both were absorbed into Prussia following the Austro-Prussian War, in which they had backed Austria’s losing side. Prussian Prince Albert administered Braunschweig until his death in 1906. Ultimately, Ernst-August (1887-1953) assumed the throne as Duke. He married Kaiser Wilhelm II’s only daughter, Viktoria Luise (1892-1980). This resulted in greater freedoms being granted to Braunschweig].
The end result is that this is a rare spiked helmet. It sports a very fine leather body that is relatively problem-free, exhibiting only the barest hint of a blemish or two. Its brass wappen is similar to a Prussian Infanterie wappen. As it is for an officer, it features an open (voided) crown. A silver sunburst in the wappen’s center contains an eight-pointed, blue, enamel cross emblazoned with a brass, running horse’s profile. Crowns appear at the cross’s 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock points. The reserve officer’s cross appears directly below the running horse emblem. [PLEASE NOTE: an elite regiment like this one contained far fewer reserve than regular army officers]. All of the helmet’s other furniture is brass-colored, including the (correct) flat chin scales, the base, the pearl ring, the trim, the officers’ stars, and the tall, very elegant spike. The helmet’s final exterior details include the correct officer’s State and Reich’s kokarden. The rosettes that attach its chin scales use the later style M-91 side posts. [Personally, I think it was a matter of the original owner’s sense of style, and an adjustment that he made during the period. As their pickelhauben were privately-purchased, officers had a great deal of flexibility with their headdress].
The helmet’s interior reveals a fine leather sweatband that is complete, although obviously used. A couple of wear spots show on the sweatband’s leather. A fine, ribbed, silk liner is attached to the sweatband. It is an unusual dark-green in color and in excellent condition. Furthermore, ALL of the original hardware is in place, with NO double holes where the wappen is attached. It is a complete AND original pickelhaube in top condition. This spiked helmet would serve as an important part of your collection, especially if you have an Infanterie-Regiment Nr 92 helmet with the Totenkopf wappen.
