DESCRIPTION
Here is the helmet that most collectors would love to own but whose wives would sanction them to the couch for spending $5k or more on an authentic Waffen-SS helmet. This particular example however is for that SS collector on a budget. The helmet is 100% authentic and untouched since it first left the factory in 1941 with only one notable modification to the decal in my opinion. As is typical with mid-war M40 ET (Eisenhuttenwerke, in Thale, Germany) helmets the outside feld grau enamel paint has very little texture to it and is almost smooth to the touch but well worn and battle fought as can be expected for an SS fighting man. The rear lot number 764 places the helmet's production date to early 1941 according to Brian Ice's lot data book and this particular lot number 764 is shared with other known SS helmets and so everything checks out. Also if you look at the wearer's left hand side below the air vent where an Heer eagle would be you can clearly see that no such decal has ever been placed there and so we know this was and has always been an SS helmet.
The inside liner system is well aged and all 3 split pins have never been touched or messed with and so we also know that the liner system is completely untouched since the end of the war. Also one really nice feature is that this particular helmet still has it's original 1938 aluminum buckle chinstrap attached and is stamped Franz Brehme Walsrode 1938.
One interesting characteristic of this particular find is the smooth brown patina on the top half of the outside dome. What caused this? Well most likely it is due to the fact that this helmet would have had an SS camo cloth cover hooked over it for much of it's time in battle which would inevitably trap some moisture.
The decal is your classic ET version with the slightly thicker black border walls and a more gradual rounded bottom slope to the shield's shape. While the decal itself is well aged and does exhibit a slight metallic luster to it , I must say that I am not a believer and it is my opinion that the decal is most likely something that was post war applied and therefore not original to the helmet.
So in the end you have something that is right as rain except for the decal (in my opinion) and so instead of paying $5500 you are getting the same helmet for only $1200 which I believe is quite fair all things considering.
$1200 HOLD - B. DESTAIN
Please call, text or email me if interested.
Tel/Text: 1-438-502-5052
Email Us: helmetsofwar@gmail.com
HELMETS OF WAR INC.
PO Box 555
Champlain, NY 12919-0555
Shipping to Anywhere USA/Canada: $22 with full tracking numbers.
Shipping to Europe/UK: $65 with full tracking numbers.
Shipping to Australia/New Zealand: $75 with full tracking numbers.
(Please contact us with any special shipping instructions as I am here to serve and facilitate the shipment.)
GERMAN HELMET FACTORY PRODUCTION CODES
(Every original German helmet produced from 1935 to 45 had two factory stampings punched into the side and rear or both in the rear. The alpha numeric number refers to the factory location and the inside metric circumference in centimeters. The rear lot number refers to the production run and was used as a quality control measure. The font styles used at each factory were slightly different but highly consistent throughout the war and so fakes or reproductions will either not have these numbers at all or they will use the wrong font style or letter spacing and so are easily identified as post war made.)
(FS or EF)-Emaillierwerke AG, Fulda, Germany
(ET or ckl)-Eisenhuttenwerke, Thale, Germany
(Q)-Quist, Esslingen, Germany
(NS)-Vereinigte Deutsche Nikelwerke, Schwerte, Germany
(SE or hkp)-Sachsische Emaillier u. Stanzwerke, Lauter, Germany
