BACKGROUND
As part of the historical helmet preservation process I always try to do my best in keeping the background story with any helmet intact as much as possible for future generations to appreciate. This is what the seller told me about it. I keep all names hidden for reasons of privacy and do the same for all my buyers.
Dated Fri, 8 Aug 2025 at 09:10
"Hi, So, I am a retired pharmacist from Geneseo, NY
The guy who managed the store next to where I worked had has own part-time gun shop. Someome came into his store and wanted to see if he wanted to buy this helemnt.
He told them he didn't buy military antiques, but the pharmacist who worked next to him (me) did and suggested he ask me. So one day a guy shows up at the store wanting to sell this helemt and a WWII german canteen. I told him I really didn't collected helmets, but I would give him $100 if he was interested and he took the offer.
This would have been in the early 1990's. I sold the canteen at a gun show for a small amount of money and put the helmet on a shelf where it has sat for 30+ years.
At this point I am trying to dispose of some stuff to make things easier on my future heirs and didn't want this helmet being sold to an antique shop for $25.
I hope this is helpful. Please feel free to contact me if you need more information.
Gary"
DESCRIPTION
This is a once in a lifetime find in my opinion and should really be featured in the polizei section of a helmet textbook. This helmet dates back to a transitional period of time when SS and Combat Polizei units were not being prioritized overlook instead for the ever growing needs of the Wehrmacht and Luftwaffe. As a result even the SS had helmet shortages whereby they were subcontracting out with private German helmet makers and basically purchasing helmets themselves. The DuckBill helmet which this is an example of is one of those helmets and it totally unique and easily identifiable based the following characteristics: a protruding front bill sticking just like the animal it's named for, the positioning of the two side rivets securing the chinstrap bales and liner being almost on the same horizontal plane, the liner system which unlike M16/18 helmets has 3 separated leather tongues with a space in between each and lastly the presence of an M27-style chinstrap with a carbine clip and roller style buckle while later models used the standard M31-style chinstrap which attached with studs to the liner..
Since this was a private firm operating between the years 1932-34 they never stamped on their logo or company name as they lacked a patent at the time and were not allowed to do so. Knowing that this shell was made in those pre-war years does not necessarily mean it was painted and given it's polizei decals in that same time period but is more likely a recycled/re-issued SS DuckBill helmet that was coopted by the combat polizei sometime before the start of WW2.
Both decals are near perfect as is the outside dark pea green enamel paint. The party shield in a textbook CA Pocher was spider veining and fine age cracks throughout. The black polizei decal is un-bordered and was used rom 1935-39 later updated by a similar decal with a silver shield border.
$3500
(Price is a somewhat aggressive as I'm quite happy to keep this as part of my. personal collection as it is a once in a lifetime find in my opinion and must by only one of a handful in existence.
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 the UK: $80 with full tracking numbers.
Shipping to Mainland Europe $85 with full tracking numbers.
Shipping to Australia/New Zealand: $100 with full tracking numbers.
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
