Can't Identify Lid, Any Ideas?

[MySonsDad]

I picked this steel pot up, a few weeks ago, not knowing what it was, thinking I'd figure it out later.

I'm stumped. I don't even think it is military, thinking more down the lines of a movie prop maybe?

It's HUGE, 11 inches wide and over 12 inches long at the largest point. It's made of ferrious metal and seems way to thin to be anything that could possibly protect anyone. No markings of any type, that I can find. Four very small holes (2 either side, maybe to hold in some type of liner, but the holes are very very small. Also, there are markes near each of the holes that looks to me like what ever was there was recently cut out with a grinder.

I'm thinking this will soon be a flower pot but thought I'd toss it on here just in case one of the experts recognizes it and tells me I have a 1 of a kind super duper helmet worth it's weight in gold! I'm not holding my breath though.

Here are a few photos:













And if it is just a flower pot, planting suggestions are welcome

Thanks,

Russ

[battle gear]

My USN MK2 Talker Helmet


it's a WWII USN MKII TALKERS helmet in relic condition, it's missing the thick foam padded lining and the leather chin cup chin straps.

[MySonsDad]

Thanks BG for the quick ID ..... I should have been able to figure that out...

Other than having a nice layer of rust, the shell is in perfect shape. Just talked to the kid and I think he is going to make this his first restoration project. Looks like the chin straps are easy enough to come by on Ebay for about 20 bucks, twice what I paid for the shell. He'll have to do a little research on the inside bad, color etc....will give him something to do.

Just hope the wife don't get mad when she finds out we are taking her flower pot back!

[battle gear]

I would probably repaint it a "battleship grey" color, because thats the most common color they would have around on a navy ship to use for maintenance, but I heard they used what ever they had available, some could be navy blue, deck grey, haze gray, etc

maybe you could use a stencil and mark a ship's name for a shelf display

I wouldnt bother buying straps for it in the condition it's in

[MySonsDad]

We'll do some research but I'm betting he goes with some original shade of grey and I'll suggest he puts a "USN" stencil on the front, or something like that, see what we find in examples now that we know what we are looking for. He has access to a sand blaster so I think he is now planning on taking it down to bare metal, priming it and painting it proper, will be a good first resto project for him. Since the lid is free of any dents or blemishes, it should look real good with the chin strap, once it is complete. We'll have to work on the felt pad as well, but at the end of the day, he should have a pretty good looking lid.