What’s on with the paint on this M1 helmet?

[ackb]

I found this M1 helmet on a local flea market. I guess it has all the identification for a WW middle war helmet. (the front seam, the correct identification number, correct liner with green coated mid-war A-washers)

But I am wondering about about the paint. Don’t the WW helmets use to be paint with a darker green? It doesn’t look repainted but could that be the case?

[emileverbunt]

This helmet was probably refurbished, post war, for the Danish army. War time US M-1's used to have a corked surface to the steel shell.

Cheers,
Emile

[Nitram]

I agree with Emile, possibly a refurb. Nice find either way!

Nitram

[ackb]

War time US M-1's used to have a corked surface to the steel

Yes that is what I thought. I got one of the originals and when I compare the helmets they look almost identical besides the paint. Do you know how it has been refurnished? Is it only with the new paint or have there might been made anything with the liner too? I guess the liner also has been painted?

[aj4010]

It looks like the steel pot chinstraps have been refurbished, original ones have eleven rows of weave. Your ones looks overall coarser, and yours is riveted on the end. Apart from the odd field repair, American M1 chinstraps are sewn together on the end of the short strap.
As for the liner paint, that's a tough one. Liners were repainted a lot, and I have some original US ones the same colour as yours, but as your shell has been repainted I would guess that yes, that is refurbed liner paint by the Danish. After all, why go to the trouble of repainting the shell, and leave a scruffy liner inside.
Does your new arrival have a stamp in the dome of the liner?
Your liner chinstrap looks interesting too. Any markings on it?

Best Regards,

Andy

[ackb]

why go to the trouble of repainting the shell, and leave a scruffy liner inside

– Sounds like an good theory Andy

The liner have a little stamp as you can see in the following picture. There is no markings at the liner chinstrap. The liner rivets are plain green as shown in the pictures.

[aj4010]

That's a Westinghouse stamp in the liner. American.
The liner chinstrap is interesting. In the original photos, perhaps taken in daylight it looks like an original American one. In the next set, I suspect taken with flash it is a little more difficult to tell. I think it looks ok though. Wiser heads on here will confirm or not. The reason I asked is that these green buckle ones are beginning to be worth a lot of money for what they are. Last year in the States I paid $100 for a nice marked one. I thought that was cheap.
Some have no marks at all though.
Strange thing is, you could pick up an M1 rig in a flea market with one of those on, and sell the liner strap for the price you paid for the whole rig.
Euro ones tend to have a very light tan leather.

Best Regards,

Andy

[ackb]

You are right, the first pictures were taken in daylight. The last four was taken in the evening when it was dark outside. I can take a couple of close up pictures of the chinstrap tomorrow in daylight to make it easier to find out. If it is the correct chinstrap, what would you consider a fair price for it including the shell and liner?

[ackb]

Here come a couple of pictures that show the liner chin strap. Like I said there is no markings to see they are just plain green.

Cheers Alex

[MySonsDad]

The shell chin strap looks as though it could be Argentinian, who used US M1 shells and their own chin straps which were attached with a single rivet. The hardware of the Argentinian chin strap is of lesser quality than on the US M1 so it should be easy enough to tell with a side by side comparison.