RAD Beaded M38 gladiator helmet

[Pierre N]

Hi guys , i see in the net the rare RAD Helmet fake ? good ? i never see this patern decal ( RAD ) the decal look like new ! and the price $3,482.00

The Collector's Guild

[Pierre N]

Anyone have opinion about this decal ??

[colt45]

the decal is a new one and scraped in spots to age it, but the paint is not aged or scraped, I think they didn't do it right!

[Historiker]

Hi guys,

I am a long-time RAD collector and researcher and would like to offer the following comments. That particular decal is shown in the Littlejohn/Angolia reference, although there are no period photos of it in use, only of the particular Luftschutz shell in use. The amount of wear and tear would depend somewhat on how the helmet was used . . . we really don't know the answer to that question but I feel comfortable assuming they were probably not used in the field, so the newer less-used appearance would not necessarily rule out originality for me. A greater problem for me is that all of the LS gladiator shells shown in the Angolia\Littlejohn reference sport the better-known eagle and spade RAD decal, not the one shown on the Collector's Guild helmet.

I have a similar LS gladiator helmet with the RAD eagle and spade decal that has been well-vetted on another site with generally favorable reviews, and it is over-painted with an earth brown color similar to the RAD uniform. The helmet under discussion here retains its original LS color. Certainly not a reason to rule out originality, but a small red flag as far as I am concerned.

So, even though I see a red flag or two, I am not a helmet expert and cannot offer an opinion on whether the Guild helmet is real or not, only that IMHO I am not convinced at this point that it is. There is just not good documentation out there for these RAD helmets, and not much is known about where they were manufactured and how and where they were distributed and used. While the usual general characteristics one looks for in a decal to determine originality can be used here, there is little or no history or period info about them to support any conclusion.

A final comment: IMHO the asking is way overblown, as are the prices of many helmets these days! I certainly wouldn't pay that amount, even if the provenance was airtight and the history of the helmet well-documented. Just my two cents!!!!

Best,
Bill