M40 Strange Camo for opinions

[Giants77]

I think we must all be careful when judging camos as yes it is definitely a mind field with some fakes that look exactly like originals I understand the concerns as it scares me too as you can never be 100% sure and you are taking a risk. But as Collector’s and preservers of history we must be careful not to wright off originals as fakes or we may very well lose that piece of history one day I’m enjoying everyone’s opinions and everybody has a very good valid point continue on please!

[TWS]

We can say the same about medic, chicken wire, Normandy ,etc. Etc. The fake market will always follow demand. But just because something is different (wonky) does not mean it is fake.

I say, judge the helmet not the pattern.

Camos are all about perception and opinion as there is no textbook to compare. But what I would like to hear is what people like or don't like about this (beyond the pattern).

I'm happy to be proven wrong, but I haven't heard reasons why (again, beyond the pattern)

I agree with you Michael and my remark about supply rising to meet demand was meant to apply to all "flavors of the month" in collecting.

Any area of militaria collecting that gets a surge in popularity attracts the unscrupulous as we all know, so those types of items deserve extra scrutiny before one's hard-earned cash is plunked down.

I'm not saying the first helmet is fake. I'm saying based on the photos alone I would not take (what is for me) a high-dollar risk. Now, if I saw that helmet at a show and could apply all of my five senses... maybe even show to a buddy who I trust to give a learned second opinion in case I had a blind spot... then I would entertain such a helmet. An exception would be an extremely reputable dealer with a no questions asked/no hassle return policy.

[HARRY THE MOLE]

I've always been cagey about basing judgement purely on photographs. Some reckon that you can do it, but I don't happen to be one of them. Of course this applies to all militaria, and not specifically helmets. If you are paying high prices you need to be absolutely sure about the authenticity of the goods, unless of course you have a cast-iron guarantee of a refund.

[Stevade]

I don’t think anyone is disputing the authenticity of the M40 .. if it hadn’t been camouflaged it would be a run of the mill Heer Helmet worth about £600 -£700 in the U.K, $900 in the US..... Splash some Camo on it then the price trebles the value, but also adds some doubt.
If you feel happy with it then go with your gut feeling.... Good Luck.

[Schwerpunkt]

I think we must all be careful when judging camos as yes it is definitely a mind field with some fakes that look exactly like originals I understand the concerns as it scares me too as you can never be 100% sure and you are taking a risk. But as Collector’s and preservers of history we must be careful not to wright off originals as fakes or we may very well lose that piece of history one day I’m enjoying everyone’s opinions and everybody has a very good valid point continue on please!

There are not THAT many good fakes , they exist but still they can be picked out when knowing what to look for.
This particular helmet has all the right signs. Talking wear , patina , colors. Especially the wear.

[real steel]

I saw this one last week. I like it, but would not buy it. Decal is an acceptable Jutner often seen on Q M40's. Just not a wise decision to purchase it as far as a financial asset. But...if one really feels "I just gotta have it", then go for it.
D

[Schwerpunkt]

I saw this one last week. I like it, but would not buy it. Decal is an acceptable Jutner often seen on Q M40's. Just not a wise decision to purchase it as far as a financial asset. But...if one really feels "I just gotta have it", then go for it.
D

Yes , then we come into the personal taste aspect of it. We all like different paintings. So different tastes in camo.
This is one indeed is special. For the right price it is worthwhile I think but not a high price.

[AndyM35]

So far I have reserved judgment on the first helmet because quite frankly I just don't know and I don't possess the experience or skill to do so and wouldn't want my input to inform Giants decision in any way particularly if it turns out to be bad. I respect all of the views presented so far and agree wholeheartedly with Harry The Mole's comment re: judging purely on photographs and particularly in relation to camos.

Everything aside from the paint scheme looks fine to me and if I was to comment on the paint then in my limited experience I do think it has age and patina.

MAP, I don't see any red flags apart from its uniqueness (which I know is not uncommon) but I guess my trepidation is symptomatic of how I am feeling about camo helmets at this time.

If only there was some type of testing that could substantiate not the age of the paint but the time period of application then we would have another level of protection for perspective buyers.

[MAP]

I saw this one last week. I like it, but would not buy it. Decal is an acceptable Jutner often seen on Q M40's. Just not a wise decision to purchase it as far as a financial asset. But...if one really feels "I just gotta have it", then go for it.
D

Yes , then we come into the personal taste aspect of it. We all like different paintings. So different tastes in camo.
This is one indeed is special. For the right price it is worthwhile I think but not a high price.

Well said and again, matches with my views stated earlier.

So the consensus is that it is a good camo based on the photos provided. In fact I don't think anyone commented negatively on helmet beyond concerns on the two more personal aspects (price/resale and pattern)

Not too long ago I equated non standard Wonky Camos with being more desirable (yes...I like them) and thus more expensive. While I still love them, I understand that the price point needs to be right because there will always be honest doubters

Very fruitful conversation by all involved.

[Anderson]

I think David and other commentators make a good point. If you must spend up big to get a Camo helmet, you might be better, from a financial investment point of view to seek a "conventional" recognised type, rather than a rarely seen oddity. Such helmets will always stir controversy and doubt in some potential buyer's minds, and if you ever plan to sell in the future that becomes an issue.