DESCRIPTION
This is a wonderful find straight out of Carlsbad, New Mexico from a vet related family member. Very tough to find massive size 68 helmets in general let alone one in a highly sought after M35 model. This example is a wonderful early-war example mostly likely sometime in 1940 as seen by the thick rounded style chinstrap bales which is seen on transitional liners straddling the M35 and M40 factory models. The outside texture is smooth enamel but with a textured factory finish however this particular example appears to have never had the Heer eagle decal added or at least not sealed in correctly causing it to be lost overtime.
I believe the dry heat of New Mexico has helped to preserve the helmet overall and keep it in it's original wartime condition. This M35 EF68 would have been originally produced by the Emaillierwerke, AG factory in the city of Fulda, Germany sometime in 1940. The rear lot number is 3942 and actually appears in Brian Ice's lot data book as a possible mud camo. As this helmet is a more recent find it is not the same helmet that appears in Brian's book but does share the same lot number and so is essentially that helmet's twin. The outside camo is not old paint or white-wash in my opinion as it has some fine grittiness to it's texture. It is my belief that these camo splotches are actual mud that was applied for better concealment during the war and allowed to bake in the sun either actively or inadvertently which in effect would have hardened the clay portion of the mud/soil into a type of cement like finish. My theory is that the organic or darker part of the soil would have worn off or washed away over time leaving this hard clay residue trace behind. Also when I used the soft boot brush on the outside none of this clay residual rubbed off and so it really seems to be baked on there. Overall this helmet is in rock solid condition and a fine wartime all original example with no rust, dents or cracks of any kind.
$1200
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
