Heimwehr Danzig helmet

[BOB COLEMAN]

When I saw the title of this thread I thought, "another fake one." However, the pictures captured my attention immediately. I doubt if anyone on this forum has ever seen a genuine example of this helmet in hand. That makes a judgement on this helmet very difficult for most. I do not doubt the story because of the source. However, many will as newer collectors have a tendency to never trust the story. My belief is you trust the source of the story, not the oral history itself. . I believe that from the images it has an excellent chance of being an original Heimwehr Danzig helmet. I would have no idea how one would come to a value on this helmet.
Ostland Digger, thanks for posting this remarkable piece.

[Paul D]

When I saw the title of this thread I thought, "another fake one." However, the pictures captured my attention immediately. I doubt if anyone on this forum has ever seen a genuine example of this helmet in hand. That makes a judgement on this helmet very difficult for most. I do not doubt the story because of the source. However, many will as newer collectors have a tendency to never trust the story. My belief is you trust the source of the story, not the oral history itself. . I believe that from the images it has an excellent chance of being an original Heimwehr Danzig helmet. I would have no idea how one would come to a value on this helmet.
Ostland Digger, thanks for posting this remarkable piece.

Bob my instincts are the same re this helmet and your right i have never seen or heard of an original example like this one before this piece of steel from the ground could be a remarkable piece of militaria , but as to a value ............. ??

[magicdutchmen]

Interesting topic about these helmets. No expert at these helmets. Thank god I won't be the one who has to make the decision whether to pass or to grab it.

[Dimas]

I'am happy just to see that helmet in the picture- this one the first and probably the last in my life...

[Paul D]

Guys this has the potential to be the rarest helmet most of us will ever see , has no one any other comments to post ??

[Schwerpunkt]

Guys this has the potential to be the rarest helmet most of us will ever see , has no one any other comments to post ??

Paul without a close-up of the Danzig shield I think all has been said , further comments would be speculation.

[BOB COLEMAN]

Guys this has the potential to be the rarest helmet most of us will ever see , has no one any other comments to post ??

Paul-
Those of us who have responded have done so on pure speculation. i think the lack of response is the fact that an intact helmet does not exist in any known collection. I have no doubt that a couple of these helmets are tucked away in an attic awaiting discovery. As the condition of the helmet does not allow for sharp detailing of the insignia, this may be a blessing as there is nothing except concept and photos to make a fake from.

[Paul D]

Agree with the above comments guys but i was hoping we may have someone who could take the discussion forward with some new evidence / info etc that the rest of us are not aware of , hopefully some photographic evidence may exist somewhere in a photo collectors collection !!

regards

Paul

[DougB]

i will make more photos,but need time for that.but as i said it is original and no eny expert due of real inspectin wont say -it,s fake.i know the way for expertize,and that must be easy-must take some small piece of decals(mikroskopic) and pass to laboratory.ask to LABS,S make spectral analyse of collor.thats simply and easy.no more doubts.if mister Lydvig Baer has not this kind of decal in his book,dont blame me.Blame all those HEIMWEHR DANZIG boy,s-why they made so rare decal in so small nr

No need to send a small piece of a decal to any lab, the technology has been available for a while now, called XRF and is widely used in the science of Archaeometry, which is the scientific study of archaeological artifacts. It is totally uninvasive and will provide a detailed analysis of the composition of the decals and paint of the helmet.

As well you can also get the decals magnified to 400x or greater using digital microscope, a study I have been doing now for a couple of years. Period decals seem to have common identifiers which can be seen at this level of magnification, fakes do as well.

So the scientific means exist now today without damaging any part of the decals to look closely at the decals and helmets paint, you just need the will to carry the analysis out.

As well it is written that the TK was always painted on using a stencil as was the case with early SS Wachbattalion helmets. This is also the case with the early SS (pre-34) and LAH helmets, so I tend to believe a unit as formative and structurally fluid as the HD was, would not have decals produced but a stencil produced for the small numbers required. That is speculation on my part but it is speculation using the evidence at hand, known and written.

Extreme closeups of these decals would also help in determining originality to some extent, it would be nice to see far better detailed pics of so rare an item rather than relying on source and story, in particular where value is trying to be determined.

Without hi resolution photographs, XRF Analysis and Digital Magnification anyone buying this helmet is taking a massive leap of faith considering what the asking price will probably be.

You also have a name and obviously a unit ID. Some simple research might be in order as well.

[Anders]

I would also like to see extreme closeups of these decals,that would help.
I think I would like to see more before I can say or .

Here are some pictures.