Memorabilia

US Army WWI Headgear & Accoutrement Lot with British Small Box Respirator

Includes M1907 winter cap, British-made (though unmarked as such) US Army overseas cap, two private purchase overseas caps, one with a French-made pinback Signal Corps disc, and American Legion cap with Legion medals and a US WWI Victory Medal.

Accoutrements include a Browning Automatic Rifle gunner belt, 1919 grenade vest, M1916 general purpose pouch, Spanish-American War era haversack with WWI reissue Aero Squadron markings, two bayonet tip periscope mirrors, and a US box respirator gas mask without carrier, in rough condition with deteriorating rubberized fabric.

Also includes a set of leggings, two pair of wool wrap puttees, a condiment can, bacon can, issue knife and spoon, and a set of brown leather puttees.  

Lot further includes a British SBR Small Box Respirator gas mask, with stained but good condition carrier; interior has a broken mask with partial filter, hose and mask torn away and in rough conditon.  Mask portion is relic condition, but the British carrier will still fill out and display nicely.

$100 - $200

US M1917 Helmet with Camouflage Finish

US M1917 helmet has a nice original camouflage painted finish worked in grass green, dark green, church bus blue, brick red, cadaver gray, and light salmon, in small to medium size irregular flowing shapes with thin black separating lines.  Interior has liner with gray felt crown pad and and a worn but intact brown leather chinstrap. 

$100 - $150

Includes a nice British issue helmet with US 76th Division 302nd Field Artillery painted insignia; interior has third pattern liner which has pulled through the crown pad as is normally expected, and brown leather chinstrap secured on one side by a leather thong rather than the metal ring originally used.  Second helmet is an unissued US M1917 that has soil and storage wear on the dark olive textured exterior; interior has a good liner with most of the instruction tag and an intact felt crown pad.  The helmet chinstrap is broken on one side.  Liner has residue of the paper that was stacked in between helmets in storage.  This is now adhered to the edges of the oilcloth liner.  Also includes an Army issue overseas cap with "US" disc.  $100-$150

US WWI Helmet Lot: Four Helmets Including an AEF 27th Division Painted British Helmet

Features a British helmet with 27th Division insignia on one side, and a triangular unit insignia painted on the other; interior has third pattern Brodies liner with broken chinstrap and lacking the felt crown pad.  Second helmet is a British issue helmet with a worn and partially complete second pattern liner, lacks chinstrap.  Third is a US 1917 helmet with extensive wear or defacing of the finish; interior is inscribed with a young collector's name painted around the interior of the brim.  Fourth is a good average condition example of the US M1917 helmet with a good textured olive drab finish; interior has worn but good liner with felt crown pad, and intact leather chinstrap.

$100 - $150

US WWI Headgear Lot: USMC Helmet, British Helmet, & Four Overseas Caps

Features a US M1917 Helmet with applied US Marine Corps Eagle, Globe, and Anchor insignia.  The retaining nut is secured so solidly that I did not want to risk damage or defacing this to wrestle it loose for the purpose of checking to see if the hole is punched or drilled; it appears from the back side to have been in this configuration for a considerable length of time.  Helmet has a worn but good liner with gray felt crown pad and intact brown leather chinstrap.  

Also includes a British issue helmet with third pattern liner lacking the felt crown pad.  Lot further includes four overseas caps: one French style with an enamel Red Cross insignia, one with a "US" disc which is named to an Ordnance soldier, one with an Artillery disc, and one with an Engineer disc. 

$200 - $300

US WWI Headgear Lot: Camo Helmet, Navy Flat Hat, Army Visor, NY Officer Visor & USMC Winter Hat

Includes a US M1917 helmet shell which has a good original camouflage painted finish; interior lacks liner and chinstrap.  US Army enlisted service dress visor cap is a bit deformed from poor storage but remains fundamentally sound and would block out nicely; has normal light wear but no readily apparent mothing; interior has Frank Brothers (San Antonio) retailer trademark on the lining, which is also inscribed with a soldier's name.  

The dark blue wool US Navy Flat Hat has a custom embroidered star insignia on the crown; band has "U.S.S. LANCASTER" tally.  USS Lancaster (ID-2953) was launched as a cargo ship in May 1918 by the Sun Shipbuilding Company at Chester, Pennsylvania, and quickly acquired by the U.S. Navy for wartime service during World War I. Assigned to the Naval Overseas Transportation Service (NOTS), she sailed from New York in July 1918 with cargo bound for South American ports, unloading at Buenos Aires before proceeding to Marseilles, France, where she arrived just before the November Armistice. Following the end of hostilities, Lancaster joined the Cruiser Transport Force in December 1918 and was tasked with transporting American troops home from Europe, contributing to the massive effort that returned most U.S. veterans by mid-1919. On October 4, 1919, after completing her postwar duties, she was decommissioned and returned to the U.S. Shipping Board.

Lot also includes WWI US Marine Corps 1906 pattern winter hat: forest green wool hat with stitch reinforced cloth visor and folding ear and neck capes which secure with khaki tie tapes; interior with olive drab cloth sweatband, improperly labeled "6-5/8" when in reality it is a 7-1/2 / 7-5/8.. possibly this error is one of the reasons why it survived in essentially unissued condition! 

Lastly, the lot includes a New York state troops officer's M1912 visor hat, dark blue wool with bullion bordered red Artillery branch trim and a nice embroidered New York state seal emblem on the front.  Interior has Ridabok & Co. retailer logo embossed on the sweatband.  It is a bit misshapen from poor storage but remains in overall good condition with no readily apparent mothing, and should easily block back into shape with a little patience and care. 

$200 - $300

Imperial German M1917 Lederschutzmaske Gas Mask And Carrier

M17 lederschutzmaske in nice pliable condition has complete head harness, neck strap, and filter.  The filter has a few rust spots, but not the topographical ring of them that you normally find on these - in this case it is fairly light and sparse, and the filter is complete with the snap-on external filter for arsenic agents.  Leather mask remains in nice condition as is the norm for these.  Carrier retains 60% field gray finish blending with patina where worn, has a good papercloth carrying strap, and is complete with the short papercloth attachment strap.  Interior has some light rust in spots, holds extra lenses in the lid compartment. 

$100-$200

Imperial German M1917 Lederschutzmaske Gas Mask And Carrier

M17 lederschutzmaske in nice pliable condition has complete head harness, neck strap, and filter.  The filter has a bit of light rust but remains nicer than the norm.  Leather mask remains in nice condition as is usually the case for these.  Carrier retains ~25-30% field gray finish blending with light surface rust where worn, has a good papercloth carrying strap, and is complete with the short papercloth attachment strap.  Interior has extra lenses in the lid compartment, lacks only the paper instruction label that was originally placed in the bottom. 

$100-$200

Imperial German M1917 Lederschutzmaske Gas Mask And Carrier

M17 lederschutzmaske in nice pliable condition has complete head harness, neck strap, and filter.  The filter has a few rust spots, but not the topographical ring of them that you normally find on these.  It is an unused example with the seal and pull tab on the bottom yet, in very good overall condition.  Includes the separate snap-on filter for arsenic agents.  Interior or the mask is discolored along the bottom edge where it was in long-term contact with the chin of a styrofoam display head that deteriorated and left bits of itself stuck to the leather.  I removed most of that material (some remains), but the discoloration remains as well.  Carrier is nice; retains 70% field gray finish blending with patina where worn, has a good papercloth carrying strap, and is complete with the short papercloth attachment strap.  Interior has extra lenses in the lid compartment.  Lacks only the instruction paper on the bottom. 

$100 - $200

Imperial German WWI Soldier's Einheits Feldmütze

Field gray wool issue Einheits Feldmütze has gray green abzeichentuch (insignia cloth) band and piping, obverse has incorrect (cast lead?) Reichs and state cockades.  Interior has a very faint, illegible maker stamp and an 8th Corps bekleidungsamt issue stamp.  Exterior has several areas of moderate mothing on the top of the crown and on the back.   Interior white cotton lining shows heavy stains and soil.  Though introduced late in the war, these universal service caps saw plenty of use, but are not commonly found on the collector's market.

The German 8th Army Corps (VIII. Armeekorps) recruited primarily from the Rhine Province (Rheinprovinz) of Prussia and the Principality of Birkenfeld, which was part of the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg, both before and during the Great War.

$100 - $200

Feldgrau wool cap has red wool band and piping; obverse with Reichs and Prussian enlisted sew-through cockades which are properly applied with the colored felt backing pieces and appear to be original to the cap.  Cotton lining and sweatband is stained from use; has 3rd Corps Bekleidungsamt stamp and partially legible regimental issue stamp.  Cap remains in very good condition with just a few pinholes in the band.  $150 - $250

Imperial German Headgear Lot: Two Caps and a Prussian Shako

Includes a dunkelblau Infantry mütze with Prussian and Reichs NCO cockades; interior has costume house markings, and the exterior has a large stitched repair in the back. 

Second item is a dark blue wool visor cap with black band and white piping.  This has enlisted sew-through cockades on the front, spots of (glue?) on the band and light tracking.  Interior has red coarse cloth lining and a short pieced construction brown leather sweatband.  

Third is a Prussian shako; black leather body is marred around its circumference where it was stacked for a long time with others of its kind.  Obverse has a nice Prussian gray metal wappen secured through the original grommeted holes, and it currently has a modern replica black leather chinstrap.  Lacks field badge and Reichs cockade.  Interior has a name inscribed in the crown.  Lacks liner entirely. 

$100 - $150

Imperial German Infantry Feldmütze

Feldgrau wool cap has red wool band and piping; obverse with Reichs and Prussian enlisted sew-through cockades, of which the Reichs cockade is properly applied with the colored felt backing piece and likely to be original to the cap; Prussian cockade is original but may be a replacement.  Cotton lining and sweatband is stained from use; has several stamped markings inked out, soldier's name is written in the crown in purple laundry pen.  Cap remains in very good condition with just normal field service wear and no readily apparent mothing. 

$150 - $250

Imperial German WWI Baden Reserve / Landwehr Infantryman's Feldmütze

Feldgrau wool cap has red wool band and piping; obverse has enlisted sew-through Prussian cockade where the Reich cockade should be.. though it is still backed by the red felt piece.  Below that is a nice Baden enlisted cockade with integral Landwehr cross.  Interior has white cotton lining with no visible markings.  Exterior has service soil and stains; interior is also stained from wear in the field, but a nice cap with no readily apparent mothing.  Safe to assume that at least one and maybe both of the cockades are replacements to this cap, but with a proper Reich cockade where the Prussian one now sits, it would be correct.  

$200 - $300 

WWI Imperial German Bavarian Officer's Visor Cap

Schirmmütze for a Bavarian Infantry officer, of field gray wool with red wool band and piping, black Vulkanfiber visor, Reich and Bavarian officer cockades on the front.  Interior has gray silk crown and body lining, and a field gray tall faux leather sweatband.  Has one stitched repair on a crown seam on the wearer's left side and otherwise just shows very light wear - quite nice overall and retains a nice stiffened profile.  Clearly this piece of WWI headgear has been very well cared for over the many intervening years.  $200 - $300

Imperial German Garde-Kürassier Regiment Officer's Visor Cap

White wool schirmütze has blue wool band and piping, officer's Reich and Prussian cockades, and a black Vulkanfiber visor.  Interior has light tan leather sweatband embossed with the owner's name, and a white silk crown lining with gilt embossed crown and "R" initial.  Interior of the visor has a dark red finish.  Cap remains in very good condition with a few minor stains and discolorations, no readily apparent mothing and no heavy wear. 

$600 - $800

Imperial German WWI Artillery Kugelhelm Camouflage Field Cover

Private purchase uberzug for an artillery kugelhelm, heavily stained and worn with great field service character, retains about half of it's green wool unit numerals "57" on the front.  Interior has "D.R.P." on the reinforced visor covers (Deutsches Reichspatent or German Imperial Patent, used roughly from 1877 to 1945 on patented items in Germany.)  This is not the cover for a collector who prioritizes brand-new, unissued condition materials.. but for those who like their WWI artifacts to convey the mud, soil, grime, and wear of trench warfare - this one fits the description perfectly.

$100 - $150

Bavarian Felt Ersatz Enlisted Pickelhaube

Ersatz helmet made of field gray pressed felt has matte brass fittings including peakmount, non-removable spike, rear spine with sliding vent cover, and Bavarian frontplate which is retained through the one and only set of holes - clearly original to this helmet..  Body of the helmet retains its proper profile without damage or deformity.  Interior has just tattered remains of the leather liner.  Despite the complete loss of the liner, the when completed with proper cockades and a chinstrap, with the solid shape and nice mellow patina on the fittings, this will be an eye-catching favorite in any display of pickelhauben.

$200 - $300

Early mixed green cloth issue uberzug has red wool regimental numerals "15", interior has reinforced spike tip and no visible markings.  The owner had this displayed on a Prussian enlisted M15 spike helmet which is included - has repainted spike base and removable spike top, Prussian and Reichs cockades with a replica chinstrap.  Interior has well-worn but intact brown leather liner, and VII Corps issue markings on the interior rear visor.  Leather helmet body remains in good condition; rear visor has some deformity as is the norm.  Prussian wappen is attached with leather wedges, but is clearly not the original plate on this helmet, as it is retained through a secondary set of holes pierced above the first set.  As the owner wisely determined, this is a perfect helmet to use as a display stand for a nice cover!  $200 - $300

Imperial German WWI 10th (Hanoverian) Jäger Battalion M15 Shako Plate

A very, very scarce wartime gray finish M15 shako plate with "WATERLOO / PENINSULA / VENTA DEL POZO".  Reverse has attachment loops intact.  

The only Imperial German unit with a front plate displaying the honor titles "Waterloo," "Peninsula," and "Venta del Pozo" is the 10th (Hanoverian) Jäger Battalion. These originate from the King's German Legion (KGL) of the Napoleonic Wars.  The 10th Jäger Battalion inherited these honors as the direct successor to Hanoverian units that fought alongside the British Army in Spain and at Waterloo.  Some Hanoverian infantry regiments (e.g., the 164th, 165th, 73rd Infantry Regiments) retained the "Waterloo" honor on their helmet plates but the use of all three titles together is a distinction exclusive to the 10th Jäger Battalion, making this a very unique and scarce Imperial German insignia.

$200 - $300

Imperial German Headgear Lot: Three Scratch-and-Dent Pickelhauben & One Derelict Shako

A parts / project lot which includes a repairable brass mounted Bavarian pickelhaub with square front visor, cruciform spike base with three of the four pins retained, and a Bavarian wappen that appears to be missing one of its two attachment screw posts.  The rear visor stitching has given way, but the helmet body remains in good overall shape.  Interior has a good black leather liner, and the rear visor is marked to the 7th Field Artillery, which.. is conveniently correct for a Bavarian helmet!  

Second helmet is a brass mounted private purchase pickelhaube with a nice muted gilt finish Prussian frontplate.  The helmet body has seen considerable damage, and the stitching is loose or gone in areas on both visors.  Interior has a tattered silk liner and damaged sweatband.  

Third helmet is a M15 Prussian pickelhaube with extensive finish wear on the leather and a broken front peakmount; interior has heavily worn but largely intact brown leather liner.  For all of the negatives, the removable spike is present, the visor stitching has not given way, the wappen is mounted through the original holes, and the rear visor does not exhibit too much in the way of the normal deformities.  With a replaced peakmount.. a redeemable / displayable helmet that could serve as a display stand for a good uberzug at the very least.

Last and least is a Prussian shako which is something of a lost cause - the front visor has fallen away entirely and the rear visor is just one unexpected sneeze away from the same fate; lacks interior liner and wappen.  Included for lack of any better home for them are a pair of collector repainted Reich cockades a collector repainted Prussian cockade, a reproduction chinstrap, and a feral gray metal spike helmet chinstrap attachment end piece.  

$200 - $300

Imperial German Headgear Lot including Pickelhaube & M16 Steel Helmet

Enlisted issue wartime M15 helmet has worn traces of feldgrau finish on the fittings including removable spike and front peakmount.  The helmet currently displays a Garde eagle without star that is very dark with oxidation and similar in patina to the rest of the helmet, though secured by modern wire through a second set of holes that partially overlap the first, and it does not sit flush against the helmet.  Has Prussian and Reichs cockades and what appears to be an original black leather chinstrap.  Interior rear visor is dark but has a legible infantry regiment issue stamp and what appears at first glance to be a 1910 date but is more likely 1916.  Helmet body remains in good condition without the normal rear visor deformity; black leather liner is also good overall with a bit of minor material loss.  

M.16 helmet shell has traces of original feldgrau finish blending with dark oxidized patina under a heavily textured subsequent layer of green and dark red paint splotches.  Interior has indistinct maker mark which may be GBN (Bing), and 1916 pattern leather liner band lacking the pads.  All three original pins are in place. 

$200 - $300

Prussian Artillery Kugelhelm

Enlisted issue black leather helmet has wartime gray metal fittings, Prussian front wappen has a different patina than the other metal fittings but is a correct fit, appears to have been in place for some time, and is secured through the original set of holes.  Helmet has Prussian and Reichs cockades secured by a chinstrap which is a reproduction as is normally the case, but a good one that does not look out of place on the helmet.  Leather body remains in very good condition with just a bit of the normal deformity of the rear visor.  Interior has 1916 date and faint issue stamp.  Brown leather liner is quite rough and has suffered damage and material loss.  Spike / kugel base is missing one attachment pin. 

$200 - $300

Prussian Wartime Enlisted Pickelhaube

Model 15 Prussian enlisted issue spike helmet has feldgrau fittings including removable spike and Prussian front wappen.  Peakmount shows little evidence of visor constriction.  The body remains in very good condition with no visor seperation, craquelure on the rear visor, and the body is somewhat out of shape, corrected immediately when placed on a head profile display form.  Helmet has original Prussian cockade, repainted Reichs cockade, and a modern replacement black leather chinstrap with plain gray metal fittings.  Though the chinstrap is a replica, it is a decent example and does not appear out of place on the helmet.  Interior has a heavily worn brown leather liner with surface finish flaking, a few tears and minor material loss.  Interior rear visor has faint issue stamp.  Wappen is secured through the two original grommeted holes. 

$300 - $400

Imperial German Headgear Scratch-and-Dent Lot: Kugelhelm, Pickelhaube & Prussian Garde Jäger Shako

M15 Baden enlisted pickelhaube has a gray metal Baden wappen that appears to always have been on this specific helmet, secured by leather wedges through the original grommeted holes.  Front visor stitching has given way but it is held in place fairly well by the peakmount.  Has removable spike which also appears original to the helmet.  Rear visor stitching has given way on both sides, but the leather appears unharmed.  Interior has a worn but intact tan leather liner.  Fugitive visor stitching aside, it is a decent helmet and quite plausibly restorable.

Less redeemable but still handy for parts is a brass mounted enlisted kugelhelm which someone has taken apart and incorrectly reassembled, with the metal backing piece for the kugel base placed Madonna-style on the outside of the helmet.  It currently has a gilt finished brass Prussian eagle that is clearly -not- original to this helmet, installed through extra slits made to the crown in the general vicinity of the original grommeted holes.  Helmet body has extensive finish craquelure, and the front visor, though attached with solid original stitching, is deformed.  Interior has worn but intact black leather liner.  This helmet includes a pair of collector-painted Reich and Prussian cockades, secured by a reproduction chinstrap.  

Prussian Garde Jäger Battalion Enlisted Shako displays fine from the exterior, with just a bit of crown deformity that should block out fine when on a properly supported display head.  Obverse features Prussian Garde Jäger frontplate retained by original leather wedges through the one and only set of grommeted holes, and clearly original to the shako.  The interior is what placed this one in the scratch-and-dent lot; the brown leather liner is quite tattered and only retained in part.  

All three lack original cockades, field badge, chinstraps, etc., but remain good candidates for restoration or as organ donors for other headgear.

$300 - $400