I think this is a badge (13.5 x 9.5cm) off an undress sabretache, ie plain leather, possibly at the time of Johann, King of Saxony (hence JR), 1854-73. It may be an unfinished piece, inasmuch as there are no fixing points on the reverse. It would appear to be a cast bronze, hand finished badge.

These were worn on the peaked service caps of the WWI era, on the central band with the national cockade above. The following states are represented: Baden x 3 (one Landwehr); Anhalt; Reuss x 2 (one Landwehr); Prussia; Bavaria; Brunswick (Landwehr); Oldenburg; Hanseatic Towns.

This was worn above a large white metal death's head skull on the pelzmutze / sealskin busby of this unit. They were worn from at least the mid-19th century to 1918. There are some marvellous photograhps showing the princesses of Prussia in the Edwardian era wearing these busbys on the steps of one of their palaces!

This is a typical private purchase piece, die-struck in gilding metal with a light gilt wash, with screw post reverse as opposed to soldered loops on issue helmets. It would have been worn on the infantry or dragoon helmet by an NCO or perhaps an 'einjahriger' volunteer/officer candidate.

This nice enamel and silver-coloured lapel badge (2.1cm diameter) by C Poellath of Schrobenhausen could be of Bavarian origin, with blue and white on one of the enamel shields, black and red on the other. It could be anything from a student fraternity badge to some veterans' union piece.

This (9cm diameter) appears to be made out of a Prussian Garde star in pressed tin with a blackened finish. However, the centre element of the star has been cut away and a German crown, possibly a ducal one, imposed thereon. I don't think this is a modern pastiche piece; I think it is a war-time example of some Garde unit for a minor German state.

The Landwehr were the first line of the reserve, the second line being the Landsturm. The concept of the Landwehr cockade dates back to the Napoleonic Wars and was always in the form of a Maltese cross. These cockades would have been worn on the front of the cap, under the national cockade in black, white and red.

Hansa cities comprised Bremen, Luebeck and Hamburg, all on the Baltic coast of Germany. These were the old free trading cities of the Middle Ages, which maintained some form of nominal independence right up until 1914. The cockade was normally on the right hand side of the pickelhaube and the national cockade would have been worn on the left.

This was introduced in 1848 when the Kaiser Alexander Guard Grenadier regiment(1st Prussian Foot Guards) raised a Fusilier battalion in addition to their numbers. Three of these were worn: one at each side and one at the rear of the mitre cap. The original battalions wore flaming grenades in the same places. The officer's version was gilt.

The Duchy of Baden was one of the minor German states to survive intact the Vienna Conference of 1814 and on into the second Reich under Wilhelm II. This is the last pattern plate for the Baden picklehaube, worn throughout WW1.