M40 Camo Full-Basket Wire

[Max Hansen]

I think I may be in over my head on this one ....I'm gonna sell it.

[cricketchris1944]

I do not like this chicken wire this looks to be a post war wire type.
Not all chicken wire of that period turn to a brown rust color some do change to a dark grey do of the metal used.
Better close-up needed.
chris

[Normandie]

eh.. didn't we see this helmet a few weeks ago or maybe a month ago?

[Max Hansen]

I don't know if it was this one....I really am not an expert on helmets.

[DougB]

This was sold by Ken B a few weeks ago;

Helmets For Sale | German War Helmet

Item YY when you scroll down. He's a pretty good judge of wires. His photos are far better, these are not any good to pass judgement IMO. Did you buy this from Ken?

[Max Hansen]

Hi Doug,
I did, along with the M40 SS. I was kind of taken aback by the attacks on the chickenwire. I know I am a lousy photographer, but you saw the pics on his site and you know his reputation....what do you think? I got pretty angry and accused him of selling me a phony helmet, but the SS is right.

[KMMorris]

I think that the chicken wire is post war as said above, the German war helmets site is usually good but the prices are rather steep.

Morris

[SteveR]

My main concern is that the helmet shows NO WEAR marks anywhere on the helmet body.
I do not care who sold it. Having been around farms and ranches all of my life I can tell you one thing chicken wire out in the weather rusts within a short time. The coating on thin steel wire is in micromilimeters and really doesnt last. Even if kept inside it will still turn a dark grey.
A helmet that has had wire on it for at least 67 years is going to have wear marks on the paint and oxidation where the wire touches the metal.
If any can disprove this thesis please do so with facts. Not it has to be good because Ken B sold it.
On the WAH forum a long time collector bought a generals cap from Bill Shea. Upon close inspection the cap proved to be a fake. BUT Bill Shea sold it. SO What.

[NARVIK]

Somehow I doubt that Ken would sell a bogus item intentionally. I would like to see up close shots before passing judgement. I am still learning about wires, having had good and bad ones in hand the past year, so I am no expert. But what I have learned in this hobby is, don't pass judgement unless you are SURE. And I am not in this case.

Anyway, some German chickenwire was galvanized, so lack of rust is not necessarily a bad sign. Although you might expect nicking here and there and some small spots of rust, unless the helmet was newly wired when captured and preserved well thereafter.

[Max Hansen]

Thanks, Doug has seen the original pics from his site....sorry I can't do better as a photog. But I did accuse him of selling me a fake chickenwire helmet; maybe he has more proof.