Description
One of the Imperial German Army’s most elite Dragoner-Regiments was Dragoner-Regiment König (2. Württ.) Nr 26, to which this pickelhaube’s officer-owner once belonged. The regiment was formed in 1805 and garrisoned at Stuttgart (in the section then known as Cannstatt). It was attached to the XIII. Armeekorps. While it was considered to be the second of Württemberg’s Dragoner-Regiments, it actually was the “King’s Own,” making it more elite. [This is noted by a special emblem on the wappen’s center, which we will describe further down].
This Dragoner-Regiment König (2. Württ.) Nr 26 Officer’s Pickelhaube is in very fine condition, overall. Its front visor is squared rather than rounded. It sports clear and supple leather that does, however, display a fault that I wish to share with you. Its rear visor displays two small holes that are a little larger than two pencil points. [This was more commonly done just after the war (and up into the 1950’s) so that the helmets’ owners could hang them up on their walls to commemorate their war service]. THESE holes are quite small compared to others I have seen, and delicately done. Since they appear on the rear visor, they are not detractive to the helmet’s overall presentation, particularly when one views its obverse. Furthermore, when its parade bush is installed instead of its service spike, the holes are mostly obscured.
The Dragoner-Regiment König (2. Württ.) Nr 26 Pickelhaube’s obverse displays a silver-toned wappen that possesses a fantastic patina. The wappen itself features Württemberg’s rampant Lion and Stag on either side of Württemberg’s shield. The shield itself sports Württemberg’s Coat-of-Arms, which is mostly obscured by a metallic sunburst that displays the Order of the Württemberg Crown’s multicolored enamel emblem. The latter was Württemberg royalty’s highest order, which also appeared on Württemberg General Officers’ pickelhauben and kugelhelme. The members of Dragoner-Regiment König (2. Württ.) Nr 26 Pickelhaube were the only other Württembergian officers who were allowed to display these emblems on their spiked helmets’ wappens.
Again, this is a reflection of the regiment’s status as the “King’s Own,” making it comparable to Prussia’s Garde du Corps. The emblem is similar in meaning to the Prussian Garde-Regiment helmets’ Garde Stars. All of the helmet’s remaining furniture is silver-toned (including the trichter and spike), except for its brass chin scales and officers’ stars. It is a true PLEASURE to offer the parade bush mounted on its trichter AND its service spike.
The obverse’s final details are its correct officer’s kokarden. The Württembergian kokarde is a special design that differs from that of Prussia, while the Reich’s kokarde actually exhibits the Prussian style. (I find Württemberg’s kokarde to be quite elegant).
Finally, our very special Dragoner-Regiment König (2. Württ.) Nr 26 spiked helmet’s interior features a high-quality, light-brown, leather sweatband attached to a beige silk liner. The latter is complete, but exhibits some light shredding in four places. All of the original hardware is present under the silk liner, with NO double holes where the wappen is attached.
This is a wonderful example of a Dragoner-Regiment König (2. Württ.) Nr 26 Pickelhaube. We seldom run across them. Similar examples of the helmet WITHOUT the previously-described fault can run between $12,000 and $15,000, which renders our helmet an exceptional value!
