WW1 M-17 Steel Helmet belonging to Named German Officer

[alexander11]

Dear forum members, I’m posting this WW1 M-17 steel helmet on behalf of a fellow collector. The shell looks nice & original with a later named liner & chinstrap. Not one I know about so any opinions on this one & it’s value if possible appreciated. Kind Regards, be lucky!

[MAP]

Liner is wrong. Not sure what country it is from. But not a style I've ever seen before.

The name written inside looks like it was done with a ball point pen. And while not a native speaker "Bavarian Rifles" (if that is what it says) to me is written in English.

Photos of the chin strap would help too but appears to be bolted on to the helmet using the existing lugs

[Wolf]

Hello alexander11,

I agree to MAP. The liner is not original, an M17 (M16 shell with an M17 steel band) should have a "3-part inner lining".

The chin strap is also not original. As MAP said, the leather was simply screwed to the helmet. Original chinstraps had metal suspensions at their ends that were attached to button 91.

The writing on the liner seems to be more recent. Apart from the word "Hauptmann", everything is written in English. A German would never write "Bavarian" but "Bayrische". The word Bavarian is only used outside of Germany. A unit called "Bavarian Rifles" is also unknown to me. The bearer name "D. O'Kelly" also sounds more Irish than German. It may be the name of a previous owner who used the helmet for re-enactments, or who just wanted to feel like a German soldier in World War I.^^ That it is the name of a British soldier who captured the helmet, I rule out. On the one hand, a British soldier would not have written the German rank "Hauptmann" in front of his name and, on the other hand, not with a ballpoint pen.

I hope this helped you a little.

Best regards
Wolf

[MAP]

Hello alexander11,

I agree to MAP. The liner is not original, an M17 (M16 shell with an M17 steel band) should have a "3-part inner lining".

The chin strap is also not original. As MAP said, the leather was simply screwed to the helmet. Original chinstraps had metal suspensions at their ends that were attached to button 91.

The writing on the liner seems to be more recent. Apart from the word "Hauptmann", everything is written in English. A German would never write "Bavarian" but "Bayrische". The word Bavarian is only used outside of Germany. A unit called "Bavarian Rifles" is also unknown to me. The bearer name "D. O'Kelly" also sounds more Irish than German. It may be the name of a previous owner who used the helmet for re-enactments, or who just wanted to feel like a German soldier in World War I.^^ That it is the name of a British soldier who captured the helmet, I rule out. On the one hand, a British soldier would not have written the German rank "Hauptmann" in front of his name and, on the other hand, not with a ballpoint pen.

I hope this helped you a little.

Best regards
Wolf

Never even noticed "O'Kelly"