Opinions on NVA Pith helmet

[Watchdog]

As a couple of the guys have already said, the issue of this dealer having several of a very rare item is a red flag as big as a bedsheet!!!

A genuine item would be at least 55 years old and unless it was pretty well kept this one seems to be in disproportionately good order given the climate of SE Asia and the materials from which these are made.

Rock solid provenance would be the only thing to persuade me of originality here and I doubt that is available for this one?

It's possibly OK as a "gap filler" or a prop in a display of period items but in itself

Regards

Mark

[stuka f]

My fault! I thought you talk about the Nationale Volksarmee (NVA).
Sorry for confusion!

Kind regards
Basti

Had the same reaction when seeing the title... ;-)

[werwolf12]

Interesting comment. It reminds me of a photo of an East German military advisor in North Vietnam wearing an NVA pith helmet.

[James C]

Visually this one really does look the part steel spy and would make for a fine display piece but i am in agreement with the above comments from the more Learned forum friends who have commented and i trust there judgement 100% ,I have what i believe to be a 1970's period example for comparison ,the example you posted up shows remnants of what looks a detached liner label but would imagine these are found on probably all of these Pith helmet's manufactured ,here is my example which i am happy to share with you ,i added the insignia for display purposes

[Watchdog]

My fault! I thought you talk about the Nationale Volksarmee (NVA).
Sorry for confusion!

Kind regards
Basti

Yep, I often find that a Google search for one brings up the other ie NVA, Nationale Volksarmme or NVA, North Vietnamese Army

Ironically there were NVA, Nationale Volksarmee advisors to the NVA North Vietnamese Army so ironically one might have witnessed a DDR soldier wearing one of these pith helments (probaly should call it a Solar Topee from the Hindi; Shola Topi) just as one would see a North Vietnamese soldier with a type M56 steel helmet

All part of the fun in this hobby!

Regards

Mark

[Watchdog]

Visually this one really does look the part steel spy and would make for a fine display piece but i am in agreement with the above comments from the more Learned forum friends who have commented and i trust there judgement 100% ,I have what i believe to be a 1970's period example for comparison ,the example you posted up shows remnants of what looks a detached liner label but would imagine these are found on probably all of these Pith helmet's manufactured ,here is my example which i am happy to share with you ,i added the insignia for display purposes

Hi James, yes it does look the part.

The trouble with these is that; they were made before the war and are still made today, plus they were not exclusively military and as has been said above every peasant in the fields wore one and largely still does! So this really is a provence issue if ever there was one.

Just consider how many people step out smartly today in a Burberry trenchcoat believing it to the height of sophisticated modern fashion. Is that so? Nope and neither is it true of the famous "British Warm" camel hair overcoat



Regards

Mark

[ogpsycho]

@ HARRY THE MOLE
Looks good in my opinion, but I am not an expert on Tschakos.

Kind regards
Basti

[werwolf12]

You are right Mark. DDR helmets were issued to North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gunners, as well as Soviet helmets. (I have seen photos in books.)

[Anderson]

That's hilarious!