Article about: The made in Germany stamps were added to allow them to be sold abroad, but mainly to the USA because of the legislation outlined below. "It was William McKinley (the 25th president of t
Today I was on my usual Saturday Morning estate sale search when I came upon is two olive colored "pith " caps that looked like they would be worn is a more or less tropical part of the world.I am a TR postcard and dagger collector and I do not know anything about German helmets or cloth head gear.I think I know enough to say it is a fake if it has Germany printed on the leather inside 'sweat band'. this is the argument I had with the seller I said ,why would a item made in war time Germany have printed "Germany" on the inside? the seller said it was a vet bring back and had to be real.I said it was a post war mock up made for souvenir purposes and was not worth the $550.00 price tag he had on them.Like I said they were olive color and had a black and silver aluminum eagle shield on one side and a red white and blue shield looking thing on the other side They looked like they have never been worn (no sweat stains or any other marks on the inside.I would like to get a photo of real one and take it to this fellow and say look its a fake unless I am wrong.
The 'Made in Germany' stamp was an import requirement back in the late 40's/early 50's when a batch of these helmets were shipped into the States to be sold by mail order in the back of gun magazines and the like. Mark.
I honestly didn't know this but from your description, they sound like genuine tropenhelms.
Jerry will hopefully be along soon and tell us more. Olive ones are rarer than the tan ones so $500 is not unrealistic.
In the post war period hundreds if not thousands of these were found and to allow them to be sold abroad, mainly to the USA, they were stamped either made in Germany or Germany. If they were Green felt, they were too expensive, but if they were green cloth/cotton then they were sensibly priced.
Not a Vet bring back unless he served abroad in the post war period but almost certainly originals.
Pith helmets was also made in a olive/green variant. Sometimes referred to as Wehrmacht as far as i have learned searching for one. A sign of fake shields "waffenfarbe" should be that the pebbled surface is actually not pebbled but "dented". The shields are often a Reichsadler and the schwartz, weiss, rot national colors.
I have seen one of these also. One of the dealers in my old shop came in with one about ten or so years ago, and it was clearly stamped "MADE IN GERMANY". I too thought it was a repro and discounted it as such.
It sold soon thereafter for twenty five bucks or so..
Shame on me for my ignorance....
Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo da gloriam!
The ones you have posted are very simmilar except for the inside of the headgear had a lether band and leather wide cross netting (I know it has a name but I don't know).also there was a red satin covering for the inside of the cap.If they were real they were in super mint condition.The guy would not let me take a picture so I am doing my best to describe. Everyone thanks for the information.
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