Tan Water Pattern Camouflage M38 Fallschirmjager Helmet Cover for Review

[bbmilitaria]

I know any Fallschirmjager helmet cover is rare as hens teeth and most are fake. Here is one for review, but first the back story. Around 27 years ago when I first started setting up at gun and militaria shows, an ex-Luftwaffe mechanic and now American citizen brings in a box of stuff to sell. He stops at the table next to mine because he is friends with the dealer and has been telling him about this box of items for many years. I about passed out when he started taking items out of the box. First out was a single decal m38 helmet, then a white washed m38 helmet with cut straps, next a quilted winter jump smock and finally a bread bag chock full of small items including a Fallschirmjager badge with the award document at the bottom of the box. Long story short, the dealer buys the whole load at a very reasonable price. Later when going through the all the items, this helmet cover was found stuffed in a pocket of the quilted jump smock. It is in unused condition. The owner now wants to sell the cover and the single decal helmet and would like to have the cover verified if possible. Any opinions are welcome and if additional photos are needed, just specify what you need to see. I appreciate any help. Thank you for looking, Mike

[MAP]

Way beyond anything I would be comfortable to opine on. Looks like it was made yesterday!

[reneblacky]

I can't comment on the cover it's self but the material & 1st pattern print look genuine to me.

[real steel]

I only know very few that could authenticate this for you. It's a rare, unique, always questionable item. I cannot comment on authenticity. Because it is in unused condition does not discount it from being original. However I do occasionally look at real ones, I have severe doubts about it.
You can PM me & I can send you via email who would know best
D.

[real steel]

There is the original example I found in my paratroop book by R. Kurtz. There are obvious differences in stitching inside. Seam is different too. Should also be marked with purple ink.
But we sent out the pics to those who might know for sure.
D.

[MAP]

Would love to hear the results David. With as much compare/contrast as possible. Very little info out there. This could turn out to be a valuable thread

[real steel]

Valuable thread ? Valuable cover !! Like $22K if original. That is why I took an interest in it. Who knows ?? Long shot it is. I never owned any German helmet cover, so a learning experience it will be
D.

[Anderson]

Is it or isn't it? The $20,000 question. The problem with something like a helmet cover is that it is one of the easier items of Third Reich militaria to fake. The construction, any competent commercial machinist could run up. But to make it convincing you need to use period thread and material. Small amounts of unused sumpftarnmuster are available, or were a few years back from factories that made uniforms during the war. The "at the front" people make reproduction uniforms and helmet covers. And they do actually offer a helmet cover for a Heer helmet made from authentic sumpftarn they sourced from a wartime maker. Thread they use is also wartime old stock. So something like this m38 cover without provenance, must remain at best a "maybe", it's perfectly possible it was sowed up post war. For a few hundred bucks you might take a chance, but $10,000 or $20,000, a prudent collector (with deep pockets!) would want cast iron provenance it was made pre-1945.

[HoundsTooth]

$22k is an astonishing amount for what it is. Obviously a rare item, but still a fair wedge of cash. You would also be covering up you not-cheap M38 too.
Out of interest, what is the blue/grey band for?
nick

[real steel]

My estimate on value was too high. The early war covers however do fetch that. This cover has been discussed at length with a few collectors & the info passed to the OP.

Anderson your critique is "spot on", logical, sensible & probable. Myself & others echo your thoughts
D.