real or fake M2 airborne helmet

[moaning minnie]

i heard that wasn't that the EASY company lid?dave

[plumbob]

Did you read mark bandos site again dave. They are stencilled helmets he is on about.
And of course he is 100% correct, apart from his collection I think I have only seen two others and they caused a lot of controversy whether or not they were fake or not. In fact one of them was that helmet that was sold from the Museum in Avranche.
As nick says there are a few unmarked ones going about in collections and maybe some still waiting to be discovered.
Your correct in a way how can we prove if a helmet is 100% original . All we have to go on is comparing them with proven examples. And thats where forums like this are a great help as they bring us all together to bounce opinions and facts at each other as none of us knows everything.
I am not selling this helmet in the near future if ever! but i will say this, if and when I sell mine I would be willing to let it go through any tests that are available.
Rod

[cricketchris1944]

I just know that originals are still out there.
I will find one someday.
chris

[NickD]

Did you read mark bandos site again dave. They are stencilled helmets he is on about.
And of course he is 100% correct, apart from his collection I think I have only seen two others and they caused a lot of controversy whether or not they were fake or not. In fact one of them was that helmet that was sold from the Museum in Avranche.
As nick says there are a few unmarked ones going about in collections and maybe some still waiting to be discovered.
Your correct in a way how can we prove if a helmet is 100% original . All we have to go on is comparing them with proven examples. And thats where forums like this are a great help as they bring us all together to bounce opinions and facts at each other as none of us knows everything.
I am not selling this helmet in the near future if ever! but i will say this, if and when I sell mine I would be willing to let it go through any tests that are available.
Rod

tell ya what mate I'll be very generous & I'll double your money you paid for it & take it off your hands

[plumbob]

I bet you would Nick in a heartbeat lol
Mayby we should keep that quite, It might only bring tears to someones eyes.
Rod

[NickD]

I bet you would Nick in a heartbeat lol
Mayby we should keep that quite, It might only bring tears to someones eyes.
Rod

[cricketchris1944]

Great stuff guys great info and super help.
Do anyone known if it is true that only 10000 M2 helmets were send to Europe during the war.
chris

[Nige H]

Guys,
Just be very aware that people such as J Murray have all the right gear to do these M2 helmets correctly, such as the correct spot welding setup and also the correct type of sewing machine (Bartack) to stitch the straps on with, this makes things very easy for a third party to then take a legitimate repro M2 and turn into a Vet purchased shell or yard sale found gem that make them a very nice return on their investment, short of stripping the paint or x-raying the shell you can never say 100% these days that there genuine. As the dimples left form removing the latter swivel bales, these can be filled with paint and corking, lead or even Stainless wielding rod if you really want to do a proper fake.

Nige.

[cricketchris1944]

Guys,
Just be very aware that people such as J Murray have all the right gear to do these M2 helmets correctly, such as the correct spot welding setup and also the correct type of sewing machine (Bartack) to stitch the straps on with, this makes things very easy for a third party to then take a legitimate repro M2 and turn into a Vet purchased shell or yard sale found gem that make them a very nice return on their investment, short of stripping the paint or x-raying the shell you can never say 100% these days that there genuine. As the dimples left form removing the latter swivel bales, these can be filled with paint and corking, lead or even Stainless wielding rod if you really want to do a proper fake.

Nige.

I hate anytype of repo or fake just because of that reason.
chris

[moaning minnie]

hi nige and im glad you've brought this matter up because i was only thinking the other day how these business sellers on ebay recreate original ww2 lids,which there entitled to do to make money what else but when you take a guy like EASY GREEN whose work is so good you just know that somewhere down the line one of these lids is going to be palmed off as original and a serious amount of money will be exchanged for something only worth a few hundred,especially the camo lids,even the MFG stamps are fake as the shells are modern repro's thats why im against this entire way of doing things,again i know its business at the end of the day,but its the genuine collector that will take the full brunt of this in there pocket,dave.