ORIGINAL HELMETS

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This page was updated on September 13, 2026 at 1:20 AM (GMT minus 5 hours)

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On September 6, 2026 — I updated the “Flea Market”

page with wonderful new items.

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Item 524 M1915 Ersatz Spike helmet

This is an item straight from the “woodwork” and has not yet been in a collection. And even without knowing that, it remains as one of the most honest examples that I have ever seen. (this is doubly important considering the wave of “Ersatz helmet” fakes that came into this country in the 1990s). The body of the helmet is in near perfect form with no distortion or malformation caused by improper storage. All the components are original to the helmet with nothing added or replaced. The chinstrap and cockades are original to the piece. The downsides of this helmet are a bit of mouse-chewing that is apparent on parts of the liner and some of the stitching which holds the lining to the body has come loose. There is also a 1/2 inch tear in the felt right next to where the front visor trim split-rivet at wearers left. (shown in the last 2 photographs). One other thing to be aware of is that the two front holes through which the loops of the frontal plate pass through the felt are factory-punched at a standardized distance apart. This was done at the feltworks before the body was delivered to the manufacturer that assembled the helmet and before it had been determined which type of plate would be affixed. As a result, the loops of the frontal plate are about 3/8 inch further apart than the factory punched holes and had to be enlarged when the Prussian plate was installed. ( I am not able to make photos of this without prying at the leather in front, which I am not inclined to do) If one is familiar with felt-body “Ersatz” helmets, one will know that this feature is far from unusual and should not be considered as evidence of some post-war chicanery or parts-switch. Further, as stated above, the helmet has last week been obtained from the granddaughter of the veteran (A supply officer with the ASSC (Air-service Signal corps). Overall, the helmet is in fine form; well balanced as far as matching component condition; and completely uncleaned and honest. $975.00

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Item 523 M38 Paratrooper helmet

This is a late war helmet with a probable vintage of summer/fall 1944. Helmets like this one were used to outfit the new parachute units  assembled for operation Wacht am Rhine; known as the battle of the Bulge. The Ckl68 shell retains 95% of it’s original textured paint. The liner is an original Karl Heisler (in this case marked with the RB number assigned to the Heisler firm) The late war slotted bolts are original to the helmet.  The chinstrap harness is a reproduction that was added to this helmet. It is of extremely high quality and has been expertly aged/weathered to match the appearance of the helmet. Overall this helmet displays very well at all angles.  SOLD

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Item 522 M42 Single decal Heer helmet

A good example of my favorite thing; what I like to call the quintessential German combat helmet; the M42 single decal army. This is a Ckl66 that dates to a likely time-frame of spring 1943 (based upon the lot number). The factory applied paint remains 90% intact. The decal is the ET pattern that we all want to see on a helmet of this maker and vintage. It rates at 90% as well showing moderate wear which is evenly dispersed over the surface. The liner is intact and complete with it’s original drawstring. The leather has a distinct “attic smell” caused by it being dry due to long term storage in a low humidity environment. The chinstrap is intact and sound with an RB number at the tip. The rear rim of the helmet shows the name of it’s original owner; incomplete but I believe it is Obergefreiter Yaeger. Overall, this is a well-balanced helmet with all components having the same patina and amount of wear. Displays well at w every angle. SOLD

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Item 522 WW1 German M18 helmet

This is a fairly rare example of the German M1918 helmet; produced during the last year of the war. ( “how rare?” you might ask. It’s been my experience that less than 10% of WW1 German steel helmets are model 18s. Of these, less than 10% have their original liner. And of those that do have an original liner, less than 10% have even a portion of the original chinstrap. so yes; this is a rare example.  The shell is a “bell-L” 64 and it’s exterior shows a good amount of patina to the paint. The liner pads are made from white chrome-tanned leather. The rear-side pads have the horse-hair pillow but the front pillow was removed due to the original owner customizing the size of his helmet. The chinstrap is present but not completely intact as can be seen in the photos. ON HOLD

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Item 521 WW1 German M16 helmet

The original factory finish of this ET 64 helmet remains in excellent condition with a moderate of patina. The matte quality is very good, not much effected by collector handling. The paint shows a couple of runs which is very often found on M16 helmets. (It seems apparent that the quality control in the paint department was nothing like would be seen on German helmets a generation later.) The post-1917 liner has all three of it’s chrome-tanned white leather pads firmly affixed to the metal band. The leather remains in excellent condition; due both to the resilience of this early synthetic tanning method as well as proper storage over the last hundred years. Some of the “fingers” of the pads have pulled through at the drawstring holes. The drawstring itself is a rare example of the actual issue type; composed of a two strand cord of white linen. Each of the pads has it’s original horse-hair pillow set in a pocket at the rear. The helmet bis complete with it’s steel hardware chinstrap which remains intact and reasonably sound. Overall, this is one of the better examples that I have seen being well balanced in the condition of it’s components. It makes a killer display. ON HOLD

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Item 520 WW1 German M16 helmet

A very good example of a helmet from the first year of production at ET, this size 64 M16 has a good amount of brown patina on the exterior of the shell but the paint itself is nearly completely intact. The liner is a rare example of the early all-leather type; the vast majority of which did not survive the post-war years. The pads are all intact and remain soundly affixed to the leather frame. The original drawstring is a good example of the type used in early production. As is quite usual with helmets of the 1916-1918 period, the original owner has penned his name inside the rear rim. Overall, a helmet in uncommonly good condition. SOLD

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Item 519 WW1 German M16 helmet

This M16 helmet bears the maker marking of the Gnuchtel brothers of Lauter, Saxony. (this same factory changed hands in during the interwar years and emerged in 1936 as the Sachsische emaillerwerke which made M35 helmets stamped “SE”). The helmet shell retains 95% of it’s original factory finish. The shell size is 62. The liner is the post-1917 steel framed type with white chrome-tanned pads. The pads lack the small pillows but the shape of the leather hints that they were removed during the period. The shell size 62 is found stenciled  at the rear inner skirt. The drawstring is not an original. ON HOLD

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Item 518 M17 Austrian helmet

This M17 Austrian helmet has a fairly rare maker mark; being produced in Budapest by the steel works of the nation’s leading industrialist, Manfred Weiss. (Note the interlocking “M” and “W” which make’s up the stamped logo at wearer’s left) The helmet is in early pristine condition with 98% of it’s matte finish brown paint. The liner is completely intact with sound stitching and pliable leather. Each pad has a pillow inserted into the rear pocket. One of the pads bears the maker mark of the leather sub-contractor. The chinstrap is the long 12-hole version that appeared later in the war ( From what I understand, the chinstrap was made longer to accommodate the wearing of a gas mask). This helmet has a significant flaw. The air-vent lug at wearer’s left was broken off at some point. It was replaced onto the helmet; being firmly attached by a new steel washer on the interior. A portion of the vent-lugs hollow shaft was missing which required it being peened over the opening of the washer. Although it is tightly affixed to the helmet, I can offer no warrantee that it will be as durable as one which was factory set with the correct tooling. Otherwise, this helmet makes and outstanding display in every regard. ON HOLD

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Item 513 M15 French Adrian helmet

This is a very good example of one of my favorite helmet types. The Ubiquitous M15 which adorned the head of every French Poilu one the western Front. The helmet is a big one; a  French size “A-2” which in normal-people terms means the shell size is the largest ( C ) of three sizes th French produced with a liner that is the middle  ( 2 ) of three sizes which each shell accommodates. The helmet is a size 60. However, it’s not the size that should sell one of these helmets because you can’t put that 100 year-old thin leather liner on your head anyway. But aesthetically speaking the larger sizes are the most attractive. This one is an early produced helmet which was painted-over in a more dark shade of grey/blue after 1917. The flaming bomb badge was not painted. Did they take the trouble of removing the badge before repainting the shell? I do not know, but I do believe that the badge is original to the helmet. The liner is in complete and fair condition showing evident wear and lots of age. The chinstrap is original to the helmet and still remains soundly affixed. Overall a very good display. $335.00

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Below are some links to pages which you might enjoy looking at.

Note: some of the links are broken (or pages wiped out) since I have moved to the new platform. I intend to rebuild and reset the links when I can get around to it. .

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Formal studio portarait of Oberfeldwebel Johann Schwerdfeger, a pre-war professional soldier, probably created in connection with his award of the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (Oak Leaves to the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross), received in 14 May 1944 when he served as a Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 1.Kompanie / I.Bataillon / Jäger-Regiment 228 / 101.Jäger-Division. Schwerdfeger soldiered from 1935 to 1937 in Infanterie-Regiment 84, and in 1939 was transferred to the third company of Infanterie-Regiment 186 of the 73. Infanterie-Division, at the Polish Campaign’s start. In June 1942, after serving in Jägerersatzbataillon 75, Schwerdfeger joined Jäger-Regiment 228 of the 101. Jäger-Division, who fought in the Don Bend, at Rostov, and at Maikop, in the Caucasus, and joined the retreat through the Kuban and the Taman Peninsula. On 17 May 1943 Schwerdfeger was awarded the Ritterkreuz (Knight’s Cross) for his extraordinary bravery in the battlefield. In April 1944, in the breakout from Hube’s Pocket, he was severely wounded, and was awarded the Eichenlaub for his Ritterkreuz; moreover, Sergeant Schwerdfeger also earned two Panzervernichtungsabzeichen (tank destruction badges), meaning that he singlehandedly destroyed two enemy tanks with hand-held weapon. Schwerdfeger was able to recover from his wounds sustained in Hube’s Pocket and served the remainder of the war. He passed away in December 2015. The novel, “The Willing Flesh”, by veteran Willi Heinrich, and the famous World War II movie “Cross of Iron” (based on the novel), is generally recognised as being loosely based on Schwerdfeger’s experiences as an NCO in Jäger-Regiment 228 in the course of that unit’s retreat through the Kuban and Taman Peninsula in the late stages of the war. 

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