How heavy could they be, I tried on a german ww2 helmut, Its like juggling a bowling ball on a pool cue.

George and Albertâ??s comments are fundamentally correct from the standpoint of actual functionality in use. The origins of the Pickelhaube however were strictly ornamental, an element of military regalia. The Pickelhaube was the brainchild of Friedrick Wilhelm IV, King of Prussia and first Kaiser of the Second Reich. The first model was designed by the army at his direction in 1842 and was a high peaked unwieldy helmet that was difficult to keep on your head, and if worn other than tilted on the back of your head it obscured your visionâ?¦definitely not a combat design.

The actual origins of the spike design are somewhat apocryphal. Supposedly Friedrick was visiting his cousin Czar Nicolas I of Russia and spotted a prototype helmet that was being modeled after the earlier Persian spiked helmets. The Persian helmets had a short steel spike and were both functional and lethal. The idea intrigued Friedrick so when he got back to Prussia he created a design of his own that had no practical use but darned if it didnâ??t look great in parades!

George is correct that the Prussian spiked helmet influenced the headgear of several countries. One he left out is the U.S., as the 1872 U.S. Army dress helmet sported a spike and, like the Prussian counterpart, even had a trichter with hair plume for parades. It was made of pressed felt and was strictly a dress uniform item.

Even though I have a degree in history, ive learned more on topics discussed here by living historians. Interesting topics, topics that were never discussed in history class. I call this PRACTICAL HISTORY, Our own way of preserving our past,I know I appeciate our own, LUGER HISTORIAN, YOU ALL CONTRIBUTE, USING YOUR OWN PRICELESS, PERSONAL HISTORY, THANK YOU

Eric, Your right! Ron is old enough to have worn one of these picklehaben! Jerry Burney

If you listen to Jerry he would have you believe that I had a hand in developing the design concept for dirt.

I wonder if the spike on the pickelhaube hearkens back to the decorative peaks on the helmets of medieval armor? or further back, to Roman and Greek helmets?

--Dwight

RON, Im sure, you were around, before the DEAD SEA was sick!

GOOD NEWS, I received, today, my much awaited 1900 Test Luger, Genuine Holster, verified,genuine marked US ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL,E.H.S., my hero, and forum gentleman agreed to post for me a few closeups, I also submitted a forgery,thats been bouncing around, I beleive, with a comparision legit, you can see yourself,theforgeries that lurk every hobby, You can also send me an email, ill send you closeups of the entire test unit, luger and holster, I want to thank RON, ED DWIGHT AND ALL OF YOU, for your help, patience and understanding, Eric, Esq snookem13@aol.com