No Decal Ordinance Tan M35 - EF 62 - Lot # 3667 - Unissued

**helmet2id** · 03-04-2018, 05:04 PM

I believe that this one came from the cache of helmets stumbled upon by Karl K. in the Czech Republic in the 1980's. It is an M35 EF62 shell, lot #3667, depot refurbished in ordinance tan, without chin strap, in unissued condition. The is no evidence of any decals. The paint is 95%+, with only some storage scuffs. All of the components are WWII vintage German made stock. I picked this one up CHEAP at the Springfield show about 12 years ago. No one really has any idea what these are. Some think they were post War assembled in the '50's to fill a contract with the Egyptian Army that fell through. Others speculate that these were depot refurbished during the War and earmarked for SS troops in southern Russia but never issued because the War ended. Of course, I am CERTAIN that they were to be used by the SS, yeah, that's the ticket! Anyway, here it is. Hope you like it. Jim G.

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 03-04-2018 05:04 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**MAP** · 03-04-2018, 05:17 PM

Beautiful Jim. I love the stories around these

Always wanted on myself

And yes..,the SS theory is the most likely for sure

**real steel** · 03-04-2018, 05:44 PM

Remember these for sale very well. No concrete explanations, all theories & speculation. He was selling them very cheap, I almost bought one myself.

**JPhilip** · 03-05-2018, 12:55 PM

Hello,
This helmet reminds me of these helmets supposedly found somewhere in eastern europe in the 90s, all in the same condition, all tan painted, with the inside painted as well, all without decal, bla, bla, bla....that in fact had been painted in the east of Paris by two well known parisian dealers who sold them in the whole world...I'm not sure of course, but....na....
I think i still have the original advert for these helmets, published in a famous french militaria magazine, i'll try to dig it out...
Thanks

**MAP** · 03-05-2018, 04:22 PM

by JPhilip

Hello,
This helmet reminds me of these helmets supposedly found somewhere in eastern europe in the 90s, all in the same condition, all tan painted, with the inside painted as well, all without decal, bla, bla, bla....that in fact had been painted in the east of Paris by two well known parisian dealers who sold them in the whole world...I'm not sure of course, but....na....
I think i still have the original advert for these helmets, published in a famous french militaria magazine, i'll try to dig it out...
Thanks

So one and the same???

**JPhilip** · 03-05-2018, 06:21 PM

Hello,
here the advert, translation below

No Decal Ordinance Tan M35 - EF 62 - Lot # 3667 - Unissued

Tan helmets model 35, 40 and 42 : used by the german army for all four components on various theaters of operations, bla, bla, bla and even in Normandy...

found in eastern europe, a limited lot of these helmets, in exceptional condition, is available today. sold for 1500 frs to 1800 frs, and even for 2000 frs, HSC is now able to offer a limited quantity of these helmets for 1200 frs each, shipping not included...

TO SEIZE !!!

Advert from 1992. I handled three of them since the nineties and never bought one. I'm pretty sure that one of these helmets is featured in the book "German soldier of WWII" by Jean de Lagarde, worn by the WSS from the Reichsführer division (don't remember the page sorry)
Thanks

**helmet2id** · 03-05-2018, 07:05 PM

Karl Kithier represents on his site that he found a cache of these in Prague in the early 1980's. The stories about there intended use by the WSS in southern Russia don't make sense to me. I jokingly stated that I was "CERTAIN" that that was the case. I can assure you that this helmet is NOT on the shelf with the other SS helmets. I am inclined to accept the story that these were assembled post War and were possibly earmarked for Egypt but the contract fell though. I don't think that these were WWII period assembled but it appears that all of the components are indeed from original TR stock. Jim G.

**JPhilip** · 03-05-2018, 07:30 PM

Hello Jim,
All three helmets that i handled also had all components from TR stocks. When i say "handled" i mean i had them at home for several days, even weeks for one. My friends and i were interested in these helmets because helmets tan painted on the interior were curiosities...something we did never see before. And after several years of business, someone talked, i don't know who...and the all story of these eastern europe helmets fell down like a card castel.

Coming from these dealers, no one was surprised, as they did more and more...i told a story on the forum about visor caps some years ago, a story involving a Nachrichten Luftwaffe visor and a standard WSS officer visor....swap the pipings and you get a Luftwaffe HG visor and a SS camp guard officer visor. Not the same prices....but always the same seamstress...

I'm not saying that this helmet comes from the lot of "parisian helmets", perhaps it comes from Prague...it was just to let you know that twins of this helmet were "made" to deceive in the 90s. I'll try to post a photo of the helmet featured in the book previously mentioned, which is in colors....
Thanks

**helmet2id** · 03-06-2018, 02:06 AM

Hi J., thank you for the information and the ad certainly calls into question the origin of some, if not all of theses helmets. I am certainly glad I didn't pay Champagne prices for draft beer product! Cheers, Jim G.

**MAP** · 03-06-2018, 02:48 AM

Thanks JPhilip

For the record so no one thinks I'm a Homer LoL...I think the SS story is hokey as well but was fun to joke

That said, knowing full well that they were probably post war, I still find them an interesting curiosity. And at the right price would be nice to own. But that is just me.