SS-Polizei Helmet?

[GIZMO8Z]

I sent my beaded M40 away to be professionally restored by Alexander and Sons Restorations. Our original plan was to remove all the paint and reproduce it as a luftschutz helmet that had seen extreme battle damage in the Battle of Berlin.

As Jacob at Alexander and Sons inspected the helmet, he thought it might be a better idea to save the authentic paint. I agreed and we went along with the project as such. He removed layers of bogus black paint (helmet was repainted and used as a Harley rider?) he also removed some bogus decals.

After removing all the garbage, he found the remains of an original SS decal under the black paint. He believes that my helmet saw service with SS-Polizei and that my helmet is really rare.

He also thinks my helmet could have been a field repaired, or sent to a center for rebuilding helmets (like some of the Jewish ghettos) for the liner to be repaired. As you can see, the liner in this helmet is made of two liners sewn together.

This is blowing my mind!

What do you guys think?







THANKS FOR LOOKING!

[Sir Payne]

I have never seen an SS decal on a civilian helmet or a beaded helmet?

[BOB COLEMAN]

I also have never seen a SS beaded helmet. I do not know how anyone can make a judgement on the decals based on their current condition. They are also positioned incorrectly. The historical information he gave you can at the best be considered conjecture. My thoughts for what they are worth.

[DougB]

Show a closeup of the decals. Could possibly be an SD - if real.

[WOODSNAKE]

Looks like the Harley rider could have done with a few more lessons!!

[CARL]

Maybe somebody tried to dress it up as an SS helmet a long time ago, that's my thought anyway...for what it is worth.

Regards

Carl

[GIZMO8Z]

Thanks for the responses, everyone!

I must admit that I have very little experience when it comes to this. I also do not have the helmet in my possession just yet. It is currently being shipped back to me, and when it arrives, I will post pictures of the decals.

Jacob at Alexander and Sons (the man who took off the bogus paint and decals for me) said: "I strongly believe your beaded M40 is an SS-Polizei. The remains of the decal have just the right amount of metallic aluminum oxide."

[DougB]

Thanks for the responses, everyone!

I must admit that I have very little experience when it comes to this. I also do not have the helmet in my possession just yet. It is currently being shipped back to me, and when it arrives, I will post pictures of the decals.

Jacob at Alexander and Sons (the man who took off the bogus paint and decals for me) said: "I strongly believe your beaded M40 is an SS-Polizei. The remains of the decal have just the right amount of metallic aluminum oxide."

I am not trying to show up whoever Jacob is or Alexander and Sons but you simply cannot authenticate an SS decal by "the right amount of aluminum oxide". I am not sure how many real ones he has handled but theres a lot more to it than that.

[Schwerpunkt]

Thanks for the responses, everyone!

I must admit that I have very little experience when it comes to this. I also do not have the helmet in my possession just yet. It is currently being shipped back to me, and when it arrives, I will post pictures of the decals.

Jacob at Alexander and Sons (the man who took off the bogus paint and decals for me) said: "I strongly believe your beaded M40 is an SS-Polizei. The remains of the decal have just the right amount of metallic aluminum oxide."

I don't see anything that points to it being an SS and frankly looking at that website makes me giggle , paying 400$ for a fake German helmet well that's nuts.

[GIZMO8Z]

I am not trying to show up whoever Jacob is or Alexander and Sons but you simply cannot authenticate an SS decal by "the right amount of aluminum oxide". I am not sure how many real ones he has handled but theres a lot more to it than that.

I completely understand, and that's why I decided to post his findings here for you gentlemen to discuss/ share your expertise on. When I have the helmet in-hand I will provide close up pictures of the decals for the consideration of the members of this message board.

He could very well be wrong. However, I have worked with Jacob in the past and he has been nothing but a great human-being. He seems very knowledable and has done nothing to make me think he would intentionally give out false information.

frankly looking at that website makes me giggle , paying 400$ for a fake German helmet well that's nuts.

I really don't want to side-track my thread, and I really mean no disrespect to you, but I want to defend Jacob.

It's not like Jacob is advertising his services as anything but high quality restoration and reproduction. Yes, he adds reproduction paint jobs/ and hardware, but the steel helmets themselves that he uses are anything but fake.

I think his prices are fair considering that many collectors and living-history reenactors (and in general young people like myself) simply cannot afford the authentic equivilent. Plus, I do not think any reeactor in their right mind would wear an authentic helmet while running around on a mock-battlefield. He offers nice looking, cheaper alternatives that reenactors wont be afraid to actually use.