Unknown helmet

[ajk99US]

Hi, haven't posted anything in a while...Anyway so I picked up this shell for 20€ at a flea market a while ago and I can't seem to find a manufacturing mark only a lot number (31732) . At first glance I thought it might be a post WW2 helmet shell but then I found faint traces of the tri-color shield... So this is officialy out of my expertise so I was wondering what you guys think
Thx in advance!
P.s. Additional info. M40

[ruddersrangers44]

If there's traces of a Decal then the stamp mark maybe just lightly pressed but would certainly be on the left flange...........nice score for that money...............

[ajk99US]

That's very much possible...but did they use the M40 helmet after WW2? thanks I guess for 20 € it wasn't too much

[Gunny Hartmann]

20 euros is great!....

[Lidman]

I am not sure what you are seeing are actually decal traces, maybe traces of a whitewash, or something else.
It is not really showing up well in the photo(s).
What I do see, is a pretty nice looking original M40 shell, possibly made by SE/hkp judging by the air vents and shape of the shell.
For 20 euros, I reckon you've done quite well here.

Brad.

[ajk99US]

Thanks!...

[ajk99US]

Thank you for your information...I agree that for 20€ it's a steal. Sorry about the photos my camera is not great @Lidman but is there a possibility that a couple of helmets weren't stamped with manufacturing marks?

[Lidman]

but is there a possibility that a couple of helmets weren't stamped with manufacturing marks?

I guess anything is possible, but highly unlikely as far as I know.
Quite often, I have seen that some helmets, have been poorly, or ever so lightly struck, that the markings
were almost impossible to determine. Try looking at the area where the stamp should be, under different light conditions,
and from different angles, this may help (I hope so).

Brad.

Edit: added the word "struck"

[ajk99US]

Alright, once again thank you very much. I appreciate it a lot

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I'll post a reply if I find any markings...

[ajk99US]

Well I said I'd reply if I found any markings, well I didn't... but while holding the helmet under light at different angles I started to see what appeared to be a missing Luftwaffe decal. It appears to have the contours of a Luftwaffe decal. So I took a couple of HD photos under different filters and on one it partly appeared (also what appears to be a partial swastika. I highlighted places where I thought the decal was visible under an X-Ray filter. So am I crazy or is it in fact possible...?