Real Italian Pith helmet?

**PeterValadez** · 02-18-2010, 03:28 AM

Hello, I was wondering what you guys thought about this WWII and or possibly WWI pith. It would be GREAT if could get some second opinions about this. Also possibly a appraisall of this?

**PeterValadez** · 02-19-2010, 12:50 AM

if anyone can help it would be great.

**PeterValadez** · 02-20-2010, 06:02 AM

here are some more pictures

**drago1983** · 02-20-2010, 06:40 AM

Hi Peter,
you have a really nice pre-ww2 italian pith helmet (the helmet is the same used in the ww2, the only difference is that sometimes soldiers remouved the cocarde for masking porpouse..)
with the insigna of the 81th infantry regiment inserted in the brigade "Torino"
this regiment fought in all italian campain since 1884 till its end on 1943.
They fought hardly in Africa, etiopia during 1935-36 (probably is when your helmet fought) and in Russia as well as Jugoslavia
the sun googles gives to it a nice look!!
I really like it

Davide

**GasMasksUK** · 02-20-2010, 01:05 PM

Heres a little something I can add about the goggles that are on this helmet, they actually didnt start off as goggles. Whoever owned this cut down his or more likely someone else's gas mask to get the eyepieces, a small section of the facepeice and part of the head harness/straps for use as goggles. I think it was quite a commonly done thing as I've seen quite a few photographs of this happening including one of a German soldier cutting down a Soviet gas mask for the same reason. Hopefully this little bit of info helps

Thanks

Danny