Auction items .. Good, Bad or Indifferent ?

**dorava** · 10-30-2009, 06:41 PM

do any of you gentlemen have any thoughts in regard to this helmet for sale on ebay¡?

ww2 Polish helmet on eBay (end time 06-Nov-09 14:48:38 GMT)

**Gary J** · 10-30-2009, 07:13 PM

I've set up this "sticky" thread, so that if anybody is looking for opinions on Auction items for sale, then post the question here so that we can keep "The ifs, buts and maybes" from confusing reference type threads.

I will try to remain impartial in this thread, but welcome the the forum members comments in the cases of obvious fakes, copies and non-original items.

Gary J.

**Adrian Stevenson** · 10-30-2009, 09:16 PM

This is a great idea.

One important aspect to remember in doing this. By all means, post a link, but if at all possible save the pictures and post them to the thread. As done here already. That way this will become an evolving reference rescource. But without pics, it can easily become a collection of dead links.

Cheers, Ade.

**mark_palmer17** · 10-30-2009, 11:57 PM

Gary can I ask why you keep your judgements to yourself? or is it a self protection thing? so that you can't be blamed for big money being spent on fakes?

**Gary J** · 10-31-2009, 12:23 AM

Ok .. here's one that I missed the obvious on !!!

Ebay 120483727381

.. Helmet looks ok ... nice storage stack mark .. paint aged !!
.. But I missed the obvious !!!
Thanks to GFC for pointing out the Eagle is facing the wrong direction !

A lesson to be learnt here ..
In the first instance, check the basics !!

Gary J.

**Gary J** · 10-31-2009, 12:36 AM

Mark,
We as collectors of "Polish" Militaria have through this forum, been given a chance to pool some indepth knowledge.
I hope that so far what has been posted has inspired people to either participate, or at least view the content.

Collecting Polish items is a real minefield, and I would hate to advise that an item was good, and it turned out to be bad.
My knowledge is limited in this field, and I hope to learn as much from the members here, and hope to contribute myself when I can be certain of originality.

__________________________________________________ __________________

Notice the thread I have posted above, ... I missed the obvious, and am the first to admit it.

Hopefully between us all, some serious expensive pitfalls can be avoided.

Regards

Gary.

by mark_palmer17

Gary can I ask why you keep your judgements to yourself? or is it a self protection thing? so that you can't be blamed for big money being spent on fakes?

**dorava** · 10-31-2009, 04:49 AM

would anyone want to comment on the helmet I posted on this page below?
any ideas?
thanks

**Gary J** · 10-31-2009, 09:53 AM

Well, trying to remain "impartial" !!
1st off, the components to the helmet look ok.
The liner being a 1942 issue, has the correct smaller economy brass securing bolt. ...
The paint seems to have shrunken back from the edge of the rim as you would expect from a thicker coating with age . ...
The Eagle seems to have the hue of discoloured "old paint" ..

All in all, some good positives .. but have I missed anything .. ?

Gary J.

**dorava** · 10-31-2009, 12:32 PM

Mr Gary
I agree with you on all points..
and I know very little about helmets

this one seems good
except
the eagle on ones I know are good

seems lije the base itself has more paint
and the feathers seem more complex

but I am just beginning to learn
so i look to others for help in learning

**Gary J** · 10-31-2009, 06:35 PM

There is the possibility that the three helmets shown, were issued in England (They certainly seem to have the more Northern European darker paint finishes) .. One certainly could be from the 2nd rifle battalion, which was definitely in Scotland, .. whereas the E-bay one looks to be more of a Desert finish ... 3rd Carpathian Div.

So a possibility that the ones in Scotland were styled similar, but the Desert one was styled thousands of miles away hence a variant eagle perhaps ?