Vintage Austrian helmet comments please

[Mark]

Any comments would be welcomed please. I was given this Austrian helmet 3 weeks ago by an elderly gentlemen a friend of my father who is now moving into a retirement village. He knew I collected military fabric hats so he passed it on to me.

But I am not a full bottle when it comes to a tin lid. It looks OK to me and I have taken pics.The colour of the helmet is Brown/tan/green with a black margin.And a semi dull green inside.

He said to me that it was used in the 1930's just before WW2 in Austria .His family originally coming from Strasbourg.

I had a look on the net and it looks like a WW1 helmet to me .Any suggestions.

Cheer's,Mark

[oradour]

Mark, what a superb original helmet ! and especially as it was free ! it is not Austro-Hungarian but German, with its metal liner band it is infact a Model 1917 Stahlhelm, and not from WW2 but it is in its original WW1 state, in august 1918 helmets were ordered to be painted in 3 cammo colours (green, ochre/tan and red/brown) and the paints were supplied, however it was down to the individual soldier to paint his helmet, so no two are exactly the same ! and poetic artistic licence often prevailed ! the black "finger width" line dividing the colours was part of the regulations. Your helmet has been depot refurbished ( damaged helmets were returned to a repair facility, damaged parts were replaced and often the helmet was repainted, a sort of recycling plant !) by the Germans during WW1, this indicated by the "64" stencilled on the rear inside skirt (this is probably why the helmet is sporting a "Gebruder Bing" marked liner, as that firm also made helmets and they are usually fitted to their own helmets) . The helmet is marked "ET64" which gives both the maker and size, which in this case is for " Eisenhuettenwerke Thale A.G." of Thale in the Harz, they made helmets in sizes 60 to 68, yours is a size "64", ET is one of the more common makers. It appears to have its original chinstrap (which is rare in its own right !) which is the same as the one used on a Pickelhaube/spike helmet. There may also be a number/letters stamped inside the top/dome area of the helmet, these if present will idicate the rolling mills where the steel was obtained, for ET made helmets this usually started with "R" and then some numbers for the rolling mills at "Stahlwerk Röchling, in Volkingen". A great helmet....thanks for showing !
Prost ! Steve.

[Mark]

Hi Steve,

thank you for your kind words and comments and very helpful information.I had to read a couple of times to digest your information. So Steve its a German WW1 item.And a size 64.It is good that it is still original.

Maybe it was worn at sometime in Austria after the war ending. I might be able to ask the gentleman a little more of its providence after he has settled into his new dwelling.

Inside the helmet you can find 3 small cloth bags with ties to them.Some sort of padding or pockets maybe.I have not cleaned it at all its a little rusty on the top and the usual dust build up and grim.I will be placing it with my small collection of military items.

Thank you for your help Steve. Much appreciated.

Cheer's,
Mark

P.S. Steve, do you have any knowledge of Imperial German commemorative plates. I'm looking for information on a Meissen factory ceramic plate "Tannenberg" WW1 which I have just purchased. I can find no information on this particular plate. I have been looking for over 20 years to find it. At last I have one Cheer's

[oradour]

Mark, pleased to have to have been of help....I am afraid ceramics are not in my remit, I would not know a thing about them, sorry. The pckets are part of the liner system and would be filled with small pillows of horsehair or gauze, they were fitted for comfort of the wearer......The Austro-Hungarian Army, the KuK, were for a short time supplied by Germany with the Model 1916 helmet prior to them producing thier own steel helmet, which was similiar to the M17 but differed in certain aspects......chinstrap (attached to helmet shell with bails and constructed in fabric) and finish....(being in a clay brown colour).
Prost ! Steve.

[Mark]

Thank you Steve, for quick response and great information,there is nothing in the pockets, they are now empty. I may place some pics of the Tannenberg plate and see if anyone can asset.

All I know to hand was that Meissen ran 500 of the plate in about 1923-24 . My one is dated 1924. There was 3000 ear marked but never came into fruition,as the plate was not popular back then with the people, because of the very dark blue cobalt picture of the battle scene river crossing.It is very valuable today.

Steve, can I ask please who is the proud gent and Terrier in your Avatar.Thanks

Cheer's, Mark

[thefight]

Great helmet Mark this is a beautiful one. also excellent info Steve, it's nice to learn what the helmet went through. Do you know if this gent was a vet?

Alec

[Mark P]

Sweet helmet, only wish mine was as good, Mark

[Mark]

Hi Alec & Mark, thank you both for your comments. I did offer a small sum to him at the time, but I think I may have offended a little. I have learned now when someone knows you are passionate to collect something over the many years .Older people are very happy to just pass it on to you with no strings attached. It makes them feel worth while in there own way.Yes I have read many threads from Steve , he is a wealth of knowledge and I appreciate his comments very much.

Alec,to answer your question I don't think he was a vet ( Maybe Farther or family member ) I'm not sure.As mentioned earlier, it has an Austrian connection.

Cheer's,Mark

[Mark]

Hi Steve , I will look for this "R" and numbers for ID of the steel rolling mill . I will let you know how I go.Thank you.

To add to my above email . Yes I located the numbers but they are very hard to read. Maybe W?22? Just not clear enough

Cheer's,Mark

[easternwarfront]

A Gebrüder Bing liner in an ET helmet? Interesting.