Prussian Pioneer Helmet With Spike From World War I

Prussian spiked helmet (Pickelhaube), Model 1915, for enlisted men, dating from World War I. Black leather helmet in good condition, with a front visor and neck flap. Field gray (Feldgrau) metal fittings and a plaque bearing the image of the Prussian eagle attached to the front. Original adjustable leather chin strap, complete with authentic state and national cockades. Complete interior with a soft beige leather liner (natural color), featuring tabs and a drawstring. Several ink markings are present on the inside, including a “57” size stamp, the date “1916,” and the manufacturer’s stamp “Muhlenfeld & Co Barmen.” There are also various issue markings on the neck flap, appearing to read “B.A.XVIII” and “R.B.A.18 ” (issuance markings associated with the *Bekleidungsamt*—clothing service—and the *Reserve-Bekleidungsamt* of the XVIII Army Corps), as well as “P.B.21” for the *Pionier-Battalion Nr. 21* (21st Pioneer Battalion). The owner’s name is written in pencil on the cap, though it is barely visible. A very fine specimen in good condition, with no additional attachment holes for the tags.

Note –

The 1st Nassau Pioneer Battalion No. 21 (*1. Nassauisches Pionier-Battalion Nr. 21*) was a Prussian Army engineer unit based in Mainz-Kastel; recruited primarily from Hesse-Nassau, it was attached to the XVIII Army Corps (*XVIII. Armeekorps*), and some elements of the battalion served within the 21st Infantry Division. During the war, the division saw extensive combat, notably in the Ardennes and on the Marne in 1914. It saw heavy action at Verdun in 1916 (battles around the Bois des Caures, Louvemont, and Douaumont) before moving to the Somme sector. Subsequently, it served in the Aisne/Chemin des Dames sector and on the Eastern Front, before returning to the Western Front to take part in the major battles of 1918.