just waiting on the mail... SS Relic on the way.

**FranzJon** · 01-21-2011, 07:18 PM

After looking at this chart I think it's an ET M40.

just waiting on the mail... SS Relic on the way.

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 01-21-2011 07:18 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**Schwerpunkt** · 01-21-2011, 08:29 PM

I hope you didn't pay much , condition is everything , no matter what branch the helmet belongs to. Dust is dust.
About the rivets : the top part , the dome if you will , is probably rusted clean off leaving only the inner part visible.

**FranzJon** · 01-21-2011, 09:49 PM

by Schwerpunkt

I hope you didn't pay much , condition is everything , no matter what branch the helmet belongs to. Dust is dust.
About the rivets : the top part , the dome if you will , is probably rusted clean off leaving only the inner part visible.

No, it was not expensive. I think there's a difference between collecting relics and minty helmets. A minty helmet may have sat out the war or belonged to a cook or mechanic. Just like cufftitles when I see an unissued piece I realize how perfect it is... but realize it never attended a staff meeting, was never under fire and has no real "history".

At least this helmet sat on top of a head of a soldier from a time, place and battle that's known and more than likely this soldier was in the middle of a pitched battle. This piece has more "soul" than the typical minty helmet. Like the lid in your avatar... it is beautiful but could have belonged to a quartermaster and sat under a wooden desk in Poland for 3 years, right?

**Schwerpunkt** · 01-22-2011, 11:35 AM

by FranzJon

At least this helmet sat on top of a head of a soldier from a time, place and battle that's known and more than likely this soldier was in the middle of a pitched battle. This piece has more "soul" than the typical minty helmet. Like the lid in your avatar... it is beautiful but could have belonged to a quartermaster and sat under a wooden desk in Poland for 3 years, right?

I think that is very flawed logic and pure speculation with a good dose of wishful thinking on your part. All helmets found above and below ground sat on soldier heads , some survived the battle and are still in extremely used to very good condition today. Some got buried during a battle with the owner , some would be left behind in a bunker by a rookie who never fired a shot in anger or by the clerks you refer to. Such bunkers were often blown up with everything in it. Some helmet depots just fell in enemy hands and were destroyed , the debris scattered through the woods to be sold as a combat helmet found in Russia in the 20th and 21st century.

I'm just saying that the level of oxidation is no parameter for measuring how much combat a helmet saw. So unless the helmet has a name and a feldpost number with which to research the soldier its true history will remain buried forever.

The helmet in my avatar is a veteran bringback :
The helmet was brought back by King Reynolds from Nebraska who served in the 35th army (activated in 1940 and sent to war in 1944 , took part in D-day till the end)
I have an envelope with newspaper clippings mostly of Nebraskan soldiers and 3 photos of King Reynolds. I wouldn't call this one mint at all.

**Paul D** · 01-22-2011, 12:14 PM

by Schwerpunkt

The helmet in my avatar is a veteran bringback :
The helmet was brought back by King Reynolds from Nebraska who served in the 35th army (activated in 1940 and sent to war in 1944 , took part in D-day till the end)
I have an envelope with newspaper clippings mostly of Nebraskan soldiers and 3 photos of King Reynolds. I wouldn't call this one mint at all.

I do own quite a few relic SS Helmets all from Narva and i know all the exact locations of recovery which is why i collect them, but this is my perfect helmet , not mint, not a relic but clearly used and with history , personally for me it doesn't get better !!

regards

Paul

**Paul D** · 01-22-2011, 12:32 PM

Here is a similar one to yours found in the trenches of SS Panzer Grenadier Regt 23 " Norge " at Soolkula , Estonia.

I've left it as it is and it is holding up well with no further disintegration.

**DougB** · 01-22-2011, 04:47 PM

Flawed logic indeed Frank. I have a researched Q DD SS brought back from Berchtesgaden (inscribed), a researched ET DD SS from Sachsenhausen Oranieinburg, these have not just soul but a grim aura. One DD Heer to a Knights Cross holder, many named and researched to combat units. Condition does not determine anything but how it looks and how much time it has left on this earth. PS you add fiberglass filler to it and you destroy any history it may have. So you can't both a rusty history filled relic with soul or beautiful looking SS helmet.

**Dimas** · 01-22-2011, 05:04 PM

I think that helmet was found at the 9Kp Danemark positions, really this area is being forbidden for digging. But I 'am taking the part in the German Volksbund researching in this area, and all what we found we gave to the museum, really for me it is just a history, and even the remains of the equipment in that condition- to me is not point to collect. I know that some guys has seen where the volksbund works, and after that they followed step by steps. Buying relics is allways propagate that kind of hunting, and in most caces destroy the chain in the research

**FranzJon** · 01-22-2011, 06:22 PM

by Schwerpunkt

I think that is very flawed logic and pure speculation with a good dose of wishful thinking on your part. All helmets found above and below ground sat on soldier heads , some survived the battle and are still in extremely used to very good condition today. Some got buried during a battle with the owner , some would be left behind in a bunker by a rookie who never fired a shot in anger or by the clerks you refer to. Such bunkers were often blown up with everything in it. Some helmet depots just fell in enemy hands and were destroyed , the debris scattered through the woods to be sold as a combat helmet found in Russia in the 20th and 21st century.

I'm just saying that the level of oxidation is no parameter for measuring how much combat a helmet saw. So unless the helmet has a name and a feldpost number with which to research the soldier its true history will remain buried forever.

The helmet in my avatar is a veteran bringback :
The helmet was brought back by King Reynolds from Nebraska who served in the 35th army (activated in 1940 and sent to war in 1944 , took part in D-day till the end)
I have an envelope with newspaper clippings mostly of Nebraskan soldiers and 3 photos of King Reynolds. I wouldn't call this one mint at all.

by DougB

Flawed logic indeed Frank. I have a researched Q double decal SS brought back from Berchtesgaden (inscribed), a researched ET double decal SS from Sachsenhausen Oranieinburg, these have not just soul but a grim aura. One double decal Heer to a Knights Cross holder, many named and researched to combat units. Condition does not determine anything but how it looks and how much time it has left on this earth. PS you add fiberglass filler to it and you destroy any history it may have. So you can't both a rusty history filled relic with soul or beautiful looking SS helmet.

I think I need to explain myself a bit more clearly.

I simply mean that a rusty, CHEAP relic has value... maybe not monetary value but historic value. There's just something "eery" about a partially decomposed helmet brought back to the above-ground. When I think of a nice, beautiful complete helmet I think of a helmet grabbed by a vet and shipped home. It is stuffed in a closet in a post-war house and comes out occasionally for the grandkids to run around with on their head. It may sit on a shelf, it may sit in a collection. A helmet may have a scuff on the visor, is that a scuff from the floor of a Sd.Kfz. 251 or is that a scuff from 1978 when 12 year old Andy was wearing it as a crash helmet on his bicycle? A helmet collected 65 years ago has 65 years worth of "history" in addition to it's 1-10 years of previous life.

I just think we're talking about two different types of collecting. Another example... what's more valuable? A mint unissued Totenkopf cufftitle or a ratty threadworn example that was on a man's arm for 3 years in Russia? Probably the unissued one, of course. But I'll take the ratty one.

How about this example, here are a couple US Civil War battle flags. One looks like it completed it's life folded in a knapsack possibly in Kansas and one was under fire on Malvern Hill.

In addition, I just wanted to apologize if I offended either of you. You both have incredible collections and they speak for themselves.

**Schwerpunkt** · 01-22-2011, 08:16 PM

by FranzJon

A helmet may have a scuff on the visor, is that a scuff from the floor of a Sd.Kfz. 251 or is that a scuff from 1978 when 12 year old Andy was wearing it as a crash helmet on his bicycle? A helmet collected 65 years ago has 65 years worth of "history" in addition to it's 1-10 years of previous life.

I was a bit offended when you slagged the helmet in my avatar without even seeing it upclose yes.
Again I fail to see the point your trying to make. You are saying you prefer a helmet that spend 60 years in the ground deteriorating than a helmet that got a few scars from kids playing with it during those 60 years ?
Personally I think the kids do a better job preserving history than the earth. Just talking pure condition now. I see merrit in digging up relics and preserving them but lets cut the assault and false assumptions with regards to helmets in better condition.

BTW You can you see the difference between a battle scar and a spade that hit the helmet in 2011 when digging it up ?