ARP Warden's Helmet

[NickW]

Still sorting through some boxes of my collection that have lain in the attic since we moved as my study has ended up the last room on a long list after a major house renovation!

Below is another helmet that I have never been too sure about - Has nearly ended up as a hanging basket a couple of times! Have just cleaned a bit near the strap clip and it is marked "H H" and dated "1939" - It has no liner and is dented in several places.

However it is the painted finish that worries me - Has it been partly re-painted and if so why on earth would anyone only do half in this manner?



Will post some pics of my good helmets, if anyone is interested.

[tinlid]

Hi Nick, The HH is probably the steel batch number or is it HBH which would be Harrison Bros. & Howson. It is weird how half the helmet looks slightly more worn than the other, but half the W looks newly painted.
Bring on your other helmets would like to see them.
Aaron

[James C]

the half and half colouration is a puzzler ,also not sure why it has w on front and rear

[crossofiron]

looks like it's been half submerged in something? **long shot, i know**

[NickW]

Thanks for the replies - The two paints are quite different - the badly worn side wast the standard almost gloss black I have on other Warden's helmets, the "better" side is a very dull matt anti-glare type paint and does look old to me. The discoloured W markings on the worn side, look totally original so it seems it did have the W front and back, which as said here is unusual, but the other half of the Ws on the matt side certainly look recently re-painted?

[tinlid]

The W at front & rear is not a problem, they started putting the letters at front & rear on helmets in London first I think it was then over the whole Country after the experiences they had during the Blitz.
Easier to see who was who when someone was facing away from you if the letters were on both sides.
Aaron

[bikerboyzx6r]

Totally agree with Aaron, both my examples have lettering on the front & rear

[aussie mick]

Interesting,
Heres a thought,maybe it was some sort of project,to show how you could refurbish an old helmet,to look new again,a sort of Before and After look.
Just an idea
Mick

[ford369]

Interesting,
Heres a thought,maybe it was some sort of project,to show how you could refurbish an old helmet,to look new again,a sort of Before and After look.
Just an idea
Mick

saw this done with a mk1 zephyr years ago basically a very quick filler resto was done on one side and the other side left untouched to show how a wreck could be got up to meet the eye,it obviously impressed the judges because the club stand won the prize for best small club display at Britains major classic car show