Japanese tropical helmet

[Jareth]

I have a large collection of Japanese pith helmets. This is one of the hardest variations to find. Has both top vent as well as side vents. Never seen or heard of leather used in pith helmet liners. Great find !

[Tinhat]

Is this a white helmet? Looks whitish in the shots. Col. Saito wore one with a gold metal star in David Lean's epic "Bridge on the River Kwai". I owned a very white one that had a rayon bevo weave type star on it. These helmets are incredibly light weight. Nice score!

Nigel, the helmet material has tainted with age to a yellowy brown, if I look behind the horizontal band it is definitely lighter but not quite white, but being very thin it could have easily completely discoloured. As you say it is very light.
Thanks Steve.

[Tinhat]

I have a large collection of Japanese pith helmets. This is one of the hardest variations to find. Has both top vent as well as side vents. Never seen or heard of leather used in pith helmet liners. Great find !

Jareth, I think I may have put 2 and 2 together and came up with 5. I re-read the section in a book I have and it mentions a 'leather chin strap', and the helmet in this link I thought had a leather liner but looking more closely it isn't The Collector's Guild
Steve.

[Jareth]

Yes chin strap & liner band are not leather but a late war coated cloth variation. What book are you refering to ? Your pith was never white but a tan color when new

[Tinhat]

Yes chin strap & liner band are not leather but a late war coated cloth variation. What book are you refering to ? Your pith was never white but a tan color when new

Busy week , haven't had time to respond. The books I have are only the Osprey Men at Arms, they are not great but served a purpose for me as I travel to Japan occasionally for work and try to hit some flea markets and wanted a broader view of Japanese kit. I have the 'Heitai' book on the way, are there any others you would recommend?

Thanks for the clarification on my helmet.