Himmler Style SA Helmet

[davejb]

HEY , anyone going to answer my question, who made these helmets, normal makes or RZM

[helmet2id]

Hi Dave, I don't know the manufacturer, but I think all of the Himmler style helmets were made by the same concern. I have another one, a no decal example with smooth grey paint, in storage that I think is marked on the liner band, and will try to pull that one out later this week. If the mark id's the manufacturer I will let you know. On the several examples that I have there are no size/manufacturer or lot number stamps in the steel that I have seen. Maybe someone else has more information regarding these. All I know is that they were commercially produced during the interwar period. Many went to the SS, but they were not exclusively issued to the SS. I have one that is a double decal Heer that I think I posted a few months ago. Sorry I didn't respond sooner, I just didn't have the answer. Cheers, Jim G.

[davejb]

Thanks Jim, this could prove interesting then, helmets that have no rim marks and perhaps can only be identified by their liner bands, which leads to another question, if the liners are all made by the same manufacturers, which , if they are, then possibly the same for the helmets but if not, a mystery ensues which will bug the hell out of me

[helmet2id]

Dave, On GHW a forum member posted his Himmler helmet that had a manufacturer's stamp on the liner, AND an ad from a magazine that confirmed that the manufacturer of his example was a company named "Bath & Wagawa Metallwarenfbr.", located in Dresden. The ad says that the helmets were available in "black and other colors for Luftschutz and Fire Police." I also recall that a fellow collector I know from New York has one with a similar stamp that mentions Dresden. At this point, I am unaware of other manufacturers of this style helmet. Jim G.

[helmet2id]

On another site the contractor number for Bath & Wagawa Metallwarenfabrik, Reissigerstrasse 22, Dresden is listed as RL2-39/2. This company was listed with other companies that made luftschutz helmets. Jim G.

[davejb]

Thanks for that Jim, very useful info, but very important by the fact that the liner denotes maker there fore crucial that these helmets should have the correct liner every time, an excellent telling point should you find one with a different liner of later mnr

[helmet2id]

Thanks for that Jim, very useful info, but very important by the fact that the liner denotes maker there fore crucial that these helmets should have the correct liner every time, an excellent telling point should you find one with a different liner of later mnr

Dave, My double decal Heer has a liner typical of Himmler style helmets, but the SA that is the subject of this thread had a different liner. The chin strap on the SA is attached to the liner band. This eliminated the need for the chin strap attachment rivets that you see on the Heer. I guess they used whatever liners they could procure during a production run, and modified the process accordingly. I would also guess that liners like the one in the Heer helmet were cheaper due to the simpler design, and that may explain why all Himmler helmets that I have seen besides the SA in this thread have the signature chin strap attachment rivets behind the lug vent. Double click on the liner pictures. The pads on the SA are on a single piece of leather, joined at a seam over the rear rivet. The pads on the liner of the Heer are separate, and each individually sewn to the leather liner band. Jim G.

PS: The Heer is also a light brown color - maybe an SA in a past life as well?

[BOB COLEMAN]

A very interesting helmet. The eagle stamp indicates to me that this helmet once belonged to Jack Baumgartner, a Chicago area dealer in the late 50's thru 70's. He had thousands of helmets and stamped each liner with that eagle stamp. I once had a Japanese army helmet come in to me on a motel buy in the 80's with one of Jack's stamps in the liner. The owner thought the helmet had been made in Germany!
I bought my first SS helmet from Jack in 1962 for $25.00. He had just gotten it in and had not yet stamped the liner. It was a mint single decal M-40.

[helmet2id]

Hi Bob, That is good to know. I hadn't come across that stamp before but thought it was right - too bad. At least I now know where the helmet has been for at least a little while after the War. Cheers, Jim G.

PS: Do you still have that SS helmet? I would love to see it in a thread if you do.

[Anders]

Nice helmet Jim, I have never seen a brow example before.

Bob, interesting information! I had never seen a stamp like that one before.