Article about: Morning Gents I was quite happy to be able to add this Mk I to my collection yesterday it has a lovely patina and well used look about with much of the sand textured finish still visible on
Morning Gents I was quite happy to be able to add this Mk I to my collection yesterday it has a lovely patina and well used look about with much of the sand textured finish still visible on the exterior of the shell .
The helmet body was manufactured by ( HS ) Hadfields Ltd of Sheffield England and IMO was manufactured post October 31 1916 as the shell has been finished in a sand textured overcoat the limited info I have suggests these can be found painted in either a pail blue grey,green,Khaki brown and or tan.
The liner bares the War Office Pattern red stamp and the patent number 11803/16 which would put the liner construction no earlier than October 31 1916 I do know there was a second round of modifications to the liner in early 1917 with the addition of a rubber ring set in the dome pad and held in place by the leather strap .
From the sellers images I would say that the rubber ring is not present so does this put the production of the liner between 1916-1917 or is it a post 1917 liner and the rubber ring ( doughnut ) has been lost to time any thoughts and or comments would be appreciated thanks.
To me it looks like the rubber ring is actually there. These were put in under the felt lining that went in the top of the Helmet.
Do you know if the part of the liner holding the sectioned rubber buffers is Leather or thick Brown proofed Cloth? If Leather its early than Cloth-which started to be used in the manufacture of the cap about the same time the donut ring was added.
Except for the Chinstrap I think you have a very nice post April 1917 Helmet.
Let us know if the rubber donut us still under the felt at the crown when you get it
Thanks for the reply Joe these early Mk I's are rather new to me and I have not done a lot of research on them yet once it arrives I shall have a better look at the finer details .
So If the material used in the construction of the basil in the headband support is manufactured from cordite cloth in stead of real leather then by rights it should date to no earlier than April of 1917 some of the information I have been reading suggests in and or around June of 1917 before the second round of modification and the rubber rings started to be installed if this information is inaccurate I would gladly welcome any further input .
Thanks Taka it was an E-bay find and I picked it up for what I consider an excellant price .
I have wanted to add one to my collection for some time now and just could not let this one pass as I loved the worn patina on the exterior of the shell.
Very good pick up Mark. I added one to my collection recently, which has the rubber ring visible. I tried but failed to get a clear picture of the red ink stamp under the liner, which is oil cloth on my example, so the later type.
Thanks very much Jerry and Paul the only thing I could have hoped for was a chinstrap in better condition perhaps I will see about mending the end to conserve it none the less I am quite happy all the same and it will display rather nicely and will feel right at home amongst its younger Mk II siblings
Hi John thank you for commenting some new information has come to light concerning the textiles used in the manufacturing process of the top dome pad Jerry had brought this to my attention some time ago when I voiced my concerns that asbestos was one of the textiles that were used here is an excerpt from a period document explaining the three main materials used in the construction process were felt,cotton and wool and it is thought that the white powder is caused from a break down in the materials that were used.
War Office Pattern Mk I Brodie
any thoughts and or comments would be appreciated thanks.
.
its just an opinion.
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