ORIGINAL HELMETS

This page was updated May 23, 2023 … 1:15 AM EST (GMT – 5 hours)

 

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Item 985 M42 single decal army Helmet

Here is a great example of the Quintessential German combat helmet; The M42 single decal army. This is an ET66 shell with 95% paint and a textbook ET/Ckl decal. The lot number 2129 dates this helmet to approximately the fall of 1942. The chinstrap appears to be original to the helmet and is a product of the O.Reichel leather works. (O.Reichel seems to have been most active in 1940,41 as the vast majority of their straps bear these dates. The liner shows light to moderate wear. Overall, this is a well-balanced and completely honest helmet. ON HOLD

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Item 984 M40 Single decal Luftwaffe Helmet

The SE/Hkp maker seemed to produce the nicest Luftwaffe helmets. perhaps it’s the shade of grey/blue that they used which was a bit bluer than the other makers. This is a size 64 shell with a moderately worn liner. The paint is typical SE texture, which is a bit more coarse than other makers. The paint rates at 95%. The eagle is the standard one used by ET, Q and SE during the war years. This one makes a great display. $900.00 SOLD

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Item 983 M40 “Vet art” Helmet

This is a mid-late war M40 Q64 which was produced after the cut-off date for decals in the summer of 1943. It has had insignias hand-painted in the appropriate spots but I am sure that is was no German soldier who applied them. I assume it was a GI who copied the insignias which he had seen on other helmets. Perhaps even an entrepreneurial fellow who decorated helmets for sale to GIs. We will never know; however the insignias were definitely period rendered. The liner show good honest wear and the chinstrap is by all indications, original to the helmet. It had been snipped short an inch or so by it’s original wearer, to remove slack. An interesting example of a period modification. $650.00

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Item 982 M42 No-decal Helmet

This is an EF66 late war helmet with 95% of it’s original finish. The liner is sound and intact with no damage. The chinstrap appears to be original to the helmet as it has the same age-wear as the rest. Overall a good honest example.  SOLD

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Item 981 M40 Kriegsmarine Helmet

This helmet is a size 68 shell manufactured by EF. It seems that EF was the major producer of KM helmets after 1940. The decal is a textbook layered type with detail lines that have that very slight greenish hue; which is a feature one should always look for with a true KM decal. The helmet is overall in very balanced condition and is completely honest. The chinstrap is a type which has a metal wire keeper. This strap is a recognized variant and seems exclusive to Kriegsmarine helmets. A great example all the way around. $2800.00

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Item 982 M38 Hungarian army helmet

This is one of the rarest production helmets to be encountered. The vast majority of Hungarian M38 army helmets produced during the war were lost across the steppes of Russia where the Hungarian army was destroyed. Most of the ones that survived WW2 were refurbished after the war. This size 64 example retains 90%+ of it’s original brown paint. The liner is the second pattern which came into use during the war years. The chinstrap is original and permanently mounted. The helmet shell is marked with the MAVAG maker mark and the royal Hungarian crest which is only found on M38s produced for the Hungarian army (not to be confused with the M38 which was made on contract for Finland between 1938-40). A very nice example of a supremely rare helmet. $2000.00

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Item 980 M40 Ex-Chicken-wire camouflage Helmet

This is a Q64 M40 that was overpainted and wrapped with a full-basket of large mesh chicken-wire. At that time, several subtle shades of paint were added as further camouflage. The wire was subsequently removed by the pattern remains quite visible in the paint. The liner shows moderate wear and the chinsytrap appears to be original to the helmet. This is another example which I describe as “well balanced and completely honest” SOLD

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Item 979 M35 Ex-Chicken-wire overpaint Helmet

This is an ET64 M35 which was re-issued after being over-painted in a fairly heavily textured paint; covering both of the original factory applied decals. A wartime steel-framed liner was installed. The liner is missing it’s drawstring but remaoins in otherwise very nice shape. The chinstrap appears original to this helmet and has been period cut short to remove slack. The helmet was at one time wrapped in a full-basket of large mesh chicken-wire which was subsequently removed. The remains of the markings which this wire caused to the paint are visible. This helmet is a great combat piece. ON HOLD

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Item 976 M42 un-issued No-decal Helmet

Let’s not forget the humble late-war M42 No-decal. This Hkp66 is in un-issued condition with a lot number indicating likely production in mid-late 1944. It just has a bit of scuffing to the finish from storage. It is quite probable that no chinstrap was ever installed. (Helmets did not come from the factory with chinstraps. When being issued his helmet, the soldier was also handed a chinstrap and instructed to put it on.). Late war Hkp’s are known for their slightly lighter and less grey/more green paint color. This example is textbook. SOLD

 

Here is a fun bit of trivia. Below is a Google earth image of the former Sachische emaillerwerke plant in present day Lauter-Bernsbach. This is where all SE/Hkp helmets were made. They manufacture metal roofing materials today

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Item 939 M35 Double decal Schutzpolizei helmet.

This is a very nice example of an NS produced police helmet and is a relatively late example from their 1938 contract with the Schutzpolizei. The police decal is one of two types used by NS for the 1938 contract. (The other type is the less attractive “fuzzy” eagle decal which is detailed in the police chapter of my book on helmet decals). The helmet shell size is 64. The paint is textbook for NS 1938-1939 and remains 98% intact; having a good matte quality which was not effected by handling wear and patina. The 1938 acceptance stamp inside the dome is clear and vivid. The aluminum framed liner is dated 1938. The split-pins are the sub-contracted types used by NS beginning in 1939 so I believe this helmet may have actually been assembled early in 39. The “E” prefix of the steel accountability number further indicates production later than most examples encountered. So getting past all of the technical gobble-de-gook… This is a textbook example which is in wonderful condition. $3150.00

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Item 973 M35 Single decal Luftwaffe Helmet; over-paint

This is one of those helmets that reaches out and grabs me because of it’s completely honest and well balanced appearance. I actually bought this at the recent SOS show with the intention of keeping it. But shelf-space (or the lack of it) has determined otherwise. It is an M35 single decal Luftwaffe helmet which I presume was finished to M40 specifications as a single decal helmet; then later over-painted to cover the decal. You can see the decal poking through the over-paint in relief.  The helmet is a size 64 shell but the maker/size markings are covered by the over-paint on the inside rim. (as is the lot number) The helmet retains 95%+ of it’s original paint and is complete with a 1941 dated chinstrap which by all indications is original to the helmet. SOLD

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Item 970 US M1 Helmet

Here is a nice, slightly used M1 helmet of very early production. Heat-treat number is 180A dating this one to 1942. The original McCord factory textured paint rates at 98%. The liner is a third pattern Hawley completed by an intact original chinstrap with green buckle, rivet and end clips. The body of the liner has a couple dents on top with some minor staining. The liner has a black lined horizontal gold bar indicating a fresh second lieutenant in training. A rare helmet with a modicum of charm. $900.00

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Item 968 US M1 Helmet

This is a good solid fixed bale helmet with 95% of it’s original depot repaint in WW2 O.D. The liner is an Inland which was over-marked by Firestone in 1943. (The Inland company received their first contracts for the M1 Carbine in late 1942 and found that they could only produce so much given the restrictions imposed by the war production board. So they dropped their production of liners and went for the more profitable M1 carbine production. All their remaining stocks of incomplete liners were sold off to other companies; this one having been shipped to the firestone company for completion and delivery to the army). The liner has an original Sargent insignia applied to the front using bits of snipped medical tape.  $425.00

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Item 967 US M1917 Helmet

One of the nicest examples of a basic US M1917 helmet that I have seen in a while. At over a hundred years old, it still retains 95% original paint with a sound liner and strap showing only moderate wear. It has a full instruction tag at the middle of the dome. You’ll love this one.   SOLD

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Item 965 Type 90 Japanese navy helmet

This is a textbook example of a mid or late war Japanese navy helmet with a stenciled anchor at the front. The liner pads are the correct chrome tanned leather as opposed to vegetable-tanned pig-skin. The leather liner frame is not marked with a navy anchor as they did away with that by this stage of the war. The cloth straps are full-length but are not folded-sewn at the tips like straps found on army helmets. All the attachment rivets have sound prongs. One interesting feature is that when the anchor was stebnciled on the front, there was a small bit of yellow paint spilt onto the shell as can be seen in the photos.  Overall a completely honest example in better-than-average condition. $1550.00

 

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Item 940 M35 Double decal army Helmet

One of the cleanest and most attractive examples I have been able to offer in quite a while; this ET66 M35 helmet retains 98% of it’s finish; which is a shade of feldgrau with a distinct grey-ish hue. The decals are typical ET factory applied and remain 99% intact. The acceptance stamp inside the dome is quite faint but I believe I can make out a 1939 date. The aluminum reinforced liner frame is marked and dated 1939. The lot number corresponds to mid-1939 production. The leather of the liner shows only light wear and has some minor flaking around the edge. The chinstrap is a pre-1940 example with aluminum hardware. The maker mark is quite difficult to make out but I believe it to be Rahm-Kampmann of Wuppertal and the date is likely 1939. Overall this one is a real beauty in every regard. SOLD

 

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Item 915 M18 style “droop-bill” SS parade helmet

This is an M18 “style” commercially produced helmet which was used almost exclusively by the SS for their early parade helmets. By that, I mean that although the manufacturer is not known; nearly each and every helmet of this specific shell type has been found to be associated with the SS, either by added insignia or by a name/unit marking somewhere on the helmet. Although significantly less than half of the known examples bear any insignia, I have personally never seen a helmet of this type used by another service branch. The last two photos show this helmet in comparison with one which has been adorned with 1935 era C.A.Pocher decals. As t the helmets condition, the paint remains 90% intact. The liner has been patterned after the military M27 style and is permanently riveted to the shell at three points. The chinstrap is permanently riveted to the leather liner frame at each side. Overall the leather is fragile but reasonably intact. This particular helmet is not named or identified by unit. The below image shows the SD man at left wearing a helmet of this exact type with SS insignia.  $1850.00

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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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