Ssh36 winter camo for your opinions

[Aleksander P]

Dimas would be ace on these he has a beautiful example I was checking on some months back, here is the thread:

Soviet M36 steelhelmet, early

For winter I thought Russians favoured their Ushanka?

Regards
Eric

Shapka-ushanka was formally introduced mid 1940 in the Red Army. Also this is a blockade made helmet and you can see that the original liner system has been removed, so that soldiers could wear something warm under the helmet. You'd want something tougher covering your head than an ushanka, when pieces of shrapnel are flying around.

[Wesley's Dad]

In the early 2000's while I was involved with OstFront Militaria (Dimas is well aware), a large cache of blockade relined Ssh-39 and Ssh-36 came from a civil defense storehouse in St.Pete. I do not know how many total were found, but OstFront managed to get nearly 40 specimens mixed between the two types. In that subset, there were 3 Ssh-36 helmets that were white over paints. Two were in decent condition and one was really trashed. I own one of those three and the other two were sold. I believe this helmet is the other decent specimen. They could be wartime, or they could be Civil Defense painted later possibly. Based on the way these came to market and the price that was paid at the time, I cannot really believe that they were faked for resale. No premium was paid for the few whites in the total lot, it was simply a big bunch of surplus helmets.

[3aStalina]

In the early 2000's while I was involved with OstFront Militaria (Dimas is well aware), a large cache of blockade relined Ssh-39 and Ssh-36 came from a civil defense storehouse in St.Pete. I do not know how many total were found, but OstFront managed to get nearly 40 specimens mixed between the two types. In that subset, there were 3 Ssh-36 helmets that were white over paints. Two were in decent condition and one was really trashed. I own one of those three and the other two were sold. I believe this helmet is the other decent specimen. They could be wartime, or they could be Civil Defense painted later possibly. Based on the way these came to market and the price that was paid at the time, I cannot really believe that they were faked for resale. No premium was paid for the few whites in the total lot, it was simply a big bunch of surplus helmets.

is there anyway you can post some pictures of your white painted Ssh36 for comparison? thank you

[Wesley's Dad]

Short answer is yes, but it will be a while... I am in an arm sling from rotator cuff surgery and cannot do any lifting. My helmets are packed away in heavy boxes at the moment.

[3aStalina]

i hope you heal fast. i am still bothered by the fresh looking rust spots but that may be attributed to sitting in a damp warehouse for decades. all i had to go on were similar German lids which people regarded as fakes due to the same reddish/fresh looking rust spots. go figure.

[Shadwellarmy]

I hope for the buyer that its a genuine period made paint job. It was sold for $2.175

[helmet2id]

Here is my white wash example. It has a reissue liner in it, probably War time done. I started a thread for this one a few weeks ago. I like yours, but as you say, the rust can make it controversial. Jim G.Jim G.

[3aStalina]

that's what i expect in a white wash camo

too bad white painted ones are not so easy

[Markratz1]

I saw the same helmet on E-bay and watched the price climb to ridiculous in the last 9 seconds. I was concerned about the rust pattern as well and brought that up in conversation prior to being sold. It did go for crazy money!! I can live with my very nice examples of M36, M39 and M40s in standard green.

[Dimas]

IMO are good helmets. Blocade helmets are much rare then originals. Due they produced in small quantity and very short period, late 42- early 43year. They has been found a couple of times in the past, most in the different factory AA bunkers. Even there born some new hobby- the factory AA bunker hunters, not only this type of helmets has been found, but also other interesting uniforms and helmets which was stored up to the novadays