M18 Stahlhelm - Opinions Please

[AlecH]

I've been offered this, what I take to be a M18 helmet at 200 euro. The helmet appears to be repainted. What do members think, worth taking a punt on at 200 Euro? are my chances of removing the latter coat of paint - easy to remove with a half decent result or am I letting myself in for a lot of hard work without much to show, i.e. a waste of money. Opinions are welcome.

[Neil Hever]

Seems costly. Probably damaged under that paint too. I'd hold out for something more complete. NH

[Nick Hessens]

What do members think, worth taking a punt on at 200 Euro?

Too much IMO!

Regards

[oradour]

AlechH....I agree with what the other members have said, not good at that price, worth in my opinion around 50-70 Euro at the most, it could be stripped and repainted, however it has been altered from its original form....see the chinstrap bails rivited to the skirt, not original, IMO ex-Afghan, notice the 2 small pin holes on the right side near the air vent, for an Afghanistan national badge. M18's had there chinstrap bails attached to the liner band....this is an M18 shell I bought some years ago (notice the lack of chinstrap bails), the last owner glued the liner pins in ! and resprayed the exterior. I intended to restore, but sadly I have not got round to it yet !
Prost ! Steve.

[davejb]

Im in full agreement with the other members, vastly overpriced for a messed with helmet, even by restoring there would be a hell of a lot of work for very little return and you couldnt in all honesty resell at a later date as a fully original helmet, for that price there are better and more fully complete versions out there

[AlecH]

Gentlemen - Thanks for your posts and comments, after reading them, you are all of course right. I wonder now, why I ever entertained the idea of buying it, I must be getting desperate or running out of patience. I pointed out to the seller, the crude repaint job done on the helmet, he said it didn't matter so much as it was rare and like a idiot I believed him, luckerly I held back, didn't buy it, so no harm done. As fate would have it, a collector friend phoned me up the following day, he's thining out his collection and had four Stahlhelms to sell. I drove over to him, bought a brown Austrian M17 helmet paid double the price, but I'm half-confident I've something of value, I'll put it up on the forum in the next few days. Again, thanks for the posts - saved me from my wayward self.
Best Wishes

[oradour]

Alec, congratulations ! ... if you have paid 400 euros for an Austro-Hungarian M17, then you have done well ! please do show......they are worth more than their German cousins and prices are rising almost daily with WW1 militaria.
Prost ! Steve.