This is one of many helmets found from Scan The World's grandfather's basement. Copies of such helmet can be found at other War museums.

The Pickelhaube was a spiked helmet worn in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries by German military, firefighters, and police. Although typically associated with the Prussian army, the helmet was widely imitated by other armies during this period.

In Aug 1914 the declaration of war resulted in the mobilization of the armies of the German-speaking contingents fighting together as the Imperial German Army. With mobilization for a modern war, the German Armies found themselves unable to quickly equip millions of soldiers. A shortage of cow hide from Argentina combined with the excessive draw upon German industry to outfit the massive army being mobilized, resulted in a severe shortage of leather for manufacturing Pickelhauben. To meet with this immediate shortage, the Germans began in 1914 manufacturing helmets from Ersatz (substitute) materials.

Ersatz felt Pickelhaube were initially manufactured in 1914 with identical fittings in silver or brass as the M1895 Pickelhaube, with front visor trim, rear spine, etc. As the Filzhelm Pickelhaube was constructed from pressed and blocked rabbit felt, it afforded no practical head protection. The liner is manufactured similar to a standard leather Pickelhaube but sewn into the shell. Filzhelme are usually found pressed from one piece, but occasionally with separately sewn on felt visors. 

The liners in Ersatz Filzhelms are set up slightly different than regular leather Pickelhauben;. on an Ersatz Filzhelm, the liner is stitched inside the shell and then only folded once to get it inside the helmet. On a leather Pickelhaube, the liner is stitched inside-out on the outside of the shell then folded down and inward to the inside the helmet.

This helmet was made after the German Saxon Pickelhaube (Also uploaded on Scan The World) due to the blocked shipping of leather and wax from the North Sea after World War 1.

This object is part of "Scan The World". Scan the World is a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, through which we are creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from across the globe for the public to access for free. Scan the World is an open source, community effort, if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help.