DESCRIPTION
This helmet was delivered to me from a farming community in rural Ontario, Canada as something passed down through the generations. Interestingly enough most WW2 German helmets are still in the US much more so than in any other Allied country who just didn't seem to have the postal resources we did at the time.
This is a wonderful example of a German refurbishment whereby no decent helmet shell went to waste. As this is a rough textured dark field gray painted single decal Heer helmet but with a pre-war 1935-39 aluminum square bale liner system we can assume it was most likely issued sometime in 1940. During this period the 5 helmet factories were ramping up production and some had access to WW1 shells and so would simply insert them into the assembly lines along with the standard M40 in order to fulfill their Wehrmacht contracts.
This helmet was originally issued in WW1 as an M16 SI66 helmet made by Eisenhütte Silesia, Paruschowitz Oberschlesien now in modern day Poland.
The original WW1 pea green paint was left in tact as is evidenced by the remaining hand rendered 338 factory lot number at the back of the rear skirt. I believe they left the WW1 paint intact merely to save on time. The outside helmet was then given a brushed on textured feld grau enamel paint job and then a factory standard ET version eagle decal was applied overtop albeit somewhat haphazardly as appears to be the case.
The complete liner is your M31 version with a re-enforced aluminum outer band and square chinstrap bales as seen in liners made from 1935-39 and appears to be a little on the dried out side but nice that none of the fingers are missing or broken off as is so often the case.
The chinstrap is also your pre to early war 1938-39 aluminum buckle version as that is the most likely new old stock they would have had on hand if refurbished as I suspect in 1940.
There is some smooth rust on the top dome but that can be darkened if desired using some gun bluing. I decided to leave it as I found it.
PRICE: $600
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Tel/Text: 1-438-502-5052
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HELMETS OF WAR INC.
PO Box 555
Champlain, NY 12919-0555
Shipping to Anywhere USA/Canada: $22 with full tracking numbers.
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German Steel Helmet Manufacturers 1916 - 18
Code, Maker name, location and shell sizes made.
1. E.T. - Eisenhüttenwerke Thale A.G., Thale /Harz - (size 60 through 68 shells) Premier maker. The only manufacturer of the first model 1916 helmet (square dip) and the M18 ear cut-out.
2. B.F. (F.B. in rare cases) - F.C. Bellinger, Fulda - (sizes 62 and 64 shells)
3. "Bell" L. - Richard Lindenberg A.G., Remscheid-Hasten - (size 64 shells)
4. G. - Gebrüder Gnüchtel A.G., Lauter i./Sa. - (size 62 shells)
5. G.B.N. - Gebrüder Bing A.G., Nürnberg - (size 64 shells) The only Bavarian manufacturer
6. K. - J. & H. Kerkmann, Ahlen/Westf. - (size 64 shells)
7. K&M - Körting & Mathiesen, Leutsch /Leipzig - (only size 68 is known) This maker is truly rare.
8. N.J. (the "J" is likely an "I") - Vereinigte Deutsche Nickelwerke, Schwerte i/Westf. - (size 62)
9. Q. - F.W. Quist, Esslingen/Neckar - (size 66)
10. Si. - Eisenhütte Silesia, Paruschowitz Oberschlesien - (sizes 62, 66 shells)
11. superimposed S over H stamp - Siemens & Halske A.G., Siemenstadt Berlin - (Size 60)
12. T.J. (again, the "J" is likely an "I") - C. Thiel & Söhne, Lübeck - (sizes 66,68 shells)
13. W. - Hermann Weissenburger & Co., Stuttgart-Cannstatt - (size 66)
