danish m23/41

[Greg Pickersgill]

Regarding my original M23, I should also point out that I believe someone - a long time ago - touched up the Danish badge with some gold paint, probably an assertion of nationalism during the end-days of the Occupation. The in-service badges always seem quite visible, not overpainted, but not quite *this* bright, but I'm only going by photographs as I have never had another M23 in-hand to examine.

Here are some pics of my own 'original' (I think) M41, which is quite a bit different to yours, James. At least, I believe it to be in either original or close to original state, its hard to tell. I got it via Ebay from the Faroe Islands about twelve years ago. I always remember that because it was in the pre-Paypal era and I had a right performance getting Danish kronor to sent (people who gripe about Paypal seem to forget how dismally difficult life was without it...) and because I had to overpay the seller sent me several bags of Danish chocolate neatly packed inside the helmet as 'change'. I was also amazed at how quickly it arrived - just three days. I'd really like at least one more M23, but they seem really uncommon now, and usually go for scary prices.

[Opex]

"many thanks gary and your thoughts on the disc attached "

You are more than welcome James, It is just a guess, but I assume if there was a line of these models on shelf, then the user could identify his/hers at a quick glance??

[SRB]

I'm sorry my friend's picture is much better ......... however I would like to have such a helmet in such good condition.

[James C]

Thanks greg your story made me smile i dont remember a time before paypal as i only started collecting militaria around 7 years ago but what a hassle for you ,again another real nice example i can see differences straight away especially the front insignia placement hole's and internally the liner looks almost like the czech vz 53 style ,well if you know what i mean ,also the chinstrap has a kind of german luftschutz look to it ,is this one af a similar gauge steel to your others or is it more like mine and quite lightweight

[James C]

thinking back to a luftshutz helmet i sold on, it too had a similar 9 fingered leather liner ,do you think yours might of seen use as an air raid protection helmet

[ZERO]

my danish

[James C]

Great stuff zero any chance of a view of the liners if possible please

[ZERO]

sorry for late answer . here is pictures with interior of helmets .

[James C]

Better late than never ,thanks zero

[37Webbing]

Well I have never in my many years as a collector of Danish M/23 helmets seen anything like it (the first one)
But very nice M/23's gentlemen.
I own a couple (more than 12 at the moment), but the prime one will always be this:















Another one of my darlings, is a M/23-41, civilian helmet, named to a known resistance fighter on the island of Bornholm.

The helmet does have an unique design, and is not without it flaws.
Nine pronged helmet liners, are most often either CB, navy or army.
There is a hefty weight difference between "civilian" M/23's and military versions.

Your helmet is most definitely a refurbished M23-41 "civilian" helmet. The liner is a dead give away.
The colour, and the metallic finish on the rivets are the two main reasons. A lot of them saw use with the CF (CivilForsvaret - Civil defence) that were created post WWII, and were kept in storage up until quite recently, at local storages.

The original colour is most likely black. Most civil defence helmets came in black.
As Henry Ford said,"Any customer can have a car painted any colour that he wants so long as it is black."

The two rear went holes, were a limited production run in the late 1920s, and are very, very rare. Only found on army helmets.

They were made by the company Glud og Marstand. A company that exist to this day. The company originally made coffee pots and pans, but they made helmet for the Danish army, navy and police from the 1920s - 1940s/1950s.

The design was meant to offer good protection from shrapnel, but the large ear "flaps" distorted the hearing.

I can offer no explanation to the disc in front.