BACKGROUND: The French were the first to have a general issue,
"modern ", steel helmet in WWI and developed the classic "Adrian" style helmet in early 1915 followed by the British army later that year and by the German’s in 1916. The Russians were given two million "Adrian" helmets by the French as a temporary solution till Russia could begin production of their own helmet. These helmets featured the metal comb protrusion on the top which was meant to help infantrymen battle against saber blows against mounted cavalry units. This sort of rooster comb also allows for air circulation as there is a gap between the base and top of the helmet. In 1916 the Russian also produced their own pattern helmet. In 1936, the distinctive SSCH-36 (Stalnoi Schlem) pattern went into production until the SSCH-39, whose shell design was used until 1968. The SSCH-39 was replaced by the SSCH-40, which, although outwardly identical, had a different liner arrangement, and a correspondingly different rivet pattern.
The years in which the SSCH-36 was being manufactured from 1936-39 were more so a time for Stalin’s industrial and agricultural build up leaving the military lagging far behind other European industrialized nations. As a result relative to German, American, Italian etc very few SSCH-36 helmets were ever produced and those that were mostly ended up being melted down and recycled into M40 designs in order to improve Soviet standardization.
DESCRIPTION
I usually list mainly only German helmets but these are my next best personal favorite to collect. There are just not that many of these out there as most were crushed and recycled into Soviet industry or ended up buried in the Balkans or in the far eastern steppes of Russia during their war with Japan which is why you see so many ground dug rust buckets but so few untouched originals like this fine example.
This fine example has nearly 100% of it's original factory paint still in tact with only minor areas of surface rust bleedthrough. The original liner appears to be a transitional leather hybrid somewhere in between the model 40 and the the canvass bowl system. The leather chinstrap is fully in tact and has never been altered or shortened and is permanently riveted to the chinstrap bales. The Russian helmet came in 4 sizes and this one I believe is a size 2. The rear lot number is 2-1344.
The Soviet red star on the front of the helmet I have looked under a USB microscope and I believe it to be 100% legit and original to the helmet based on the surface oxidation patterns which pass through the red paint.
A very difficult example to upgrade and a worthwhile investment considering that the world is mass printing money but these helmets will always be in finite supply.
$1250 SOLD
Please call, text or email me if interested.
Tel/Text: 1-438-502-5052
Email Us: helmetsofwar@gmail.com
