Württemberg, Kingdom. An Army Enlisted Personnel Pickelhaube 1916, Named

(Württemberg Pickelhaube für Mannschaften). A Württemberg Heer (Army) Enlisted personnel Pickelhaube, constructed of a boiled and blackened leather shell. Situated atop the crown is a gilded brass spike perforated around the neck with ventilation holes, and which is secured in place with a baseplate featuring four rivets. A bar of identical construction emanates from the back of the baseplate and extends down to a protruding boiled and blackened leather. Riveted to the peak is an insignia consisting of a bronze planet in the form of a central Württemberg coat of arms, overlaid by a silver Cross Pattée, flanked by a lion and stag rampant, and set above a banner bearing an inscription of “FURCHTLOS UND TREW” (“FEARLESS AND LOYAL”). The plate measures 12.5 cm (w) x 9.5 cm (h). It is flanked on each side by bronze studs which secure in place a black leather chinstrap, adjusted with dual functional bronze buckles. Situated beneath the studs are magnetic metal cockades, with the left side painted in a black and red Württemberg colour scheme, while the right side is painted in an Imperial red, white, and black motif. The exterior features are completed with a protruding boiled and blackened leather visor, reinforced along the rim with a brass bar. The interior retains an original brown leather liner, culminating in nine fingers, each perforated at the top with an eyelet through which is looped a leather drawstring. The crown is stamped with an illegible maker’s mark circumscribing a date that appears to read “1916”, a size mark of “56”, and handwritten name of “ANGERS FAUCHEUX”. It measures approximately 17 cm (w) x 23 cm (l) x 23.5 cm (h) (inclusive of spike). Issues consistent with age and wear are evident, and include material fatigue throughout the shell and other leather elements, some tarnishing of the metal fixtures, and distortion of the shell’s structure. It is an untouched and unaltered example, remaining in an overall very fine condition.