relic M40 SD SS helmet
bought this one from 'stalingrad front' in Russia (of course before the war). Found near city Rzhev (Panzer Division Das Reich "Der Führer"). At least that's the information I got. Seams to me an ET decall. Although not possible to be 100% this is the right decall on the right helmet, still interested if there are what people here call 'redflags'. Thanks in advance !
Nice .........
" I'm putting off procrastination until next week "
This one looks like a good ET runic decal.
Correct. ET decal.
I often stay away from giving my opinion on decals on relic helmets as they are so easy to fake. Would just add that the dealer does not have the greatest reputation.
"Please", Thank You" and proper manners appreciated
My greatest fear is that one day I will die and my wife will sell my guns for what I told her I paid for them
"Don't tell me these are investments if you never intend to sell anything" (Quote: Wife)
If anyone can give me dealers that are really reliable please do...I would greatly appreciate it if you send me a message in private...People allways talk about buying military items from reliable sources, but here like everywhere else it seems like walking on a thin cord...Dealers here are sponsoring the site, etc..etc... Some people know dealers very personally and they are selling them only authentic pieces, the fake ones go to people that they don't know and have less experience...So telling me that I have to buy from respectable dealers (as I heard a few times) without mentioning them is for me of no help at all...You can say : 'well the more knowledge you have, the less they going to fool you'. But even then...So first I have to buy a fake one before knowing the reliability of the dealer ? Now I am getting a little bit upset...
Ok...without awaiting answers to my last post...the answer is clear : that's why this forum is for...i will never again buy any helmet before posting it here for evaluation...'Schwerpunkt' : your posts here are worth a lot of money...You could be very rich by now if you asked money for your expertise....
Even with reliable dealers it is best to get opinions before any purchase.
by Helmcollector
It is all a learning process. It takes time and can be a bit frustrating. But you need patience. In the meantime, as Frank says you should ALWAYS get opinions before buying anything until you have enough experience to vet the items your self. And even then, it is wise to get more opinions.
As far as "reliable dealers" it is very difficult to recommend. No one hear is "hiding" a dealers name in the hopes that no one finds out about them. First off, even the best dealers sell a dud every now and then. Second. there are hundreds of dealers out there. Some selling all types of items and others specializing. Third, it depends where you are located, some dealers don't ship overseas. Fourth, It depends on your budget. No use recommending a high end dealer that only sells items you can't afford.
To start you off. 1) You can use the Forum Sponsors 2) Here is an old list of US dealers (primarily Helmets). A few are no longer selling but most still are and are very well regarded. I don't know many Euro dealers myself. Most of what I buy is from shows or fellow collectors.
Australia Helmet Dealers
"Please", Thank You" and proper manners appreciated
My greatest fear is that one day I will die and my wife will sell my guns for what I told her I paid for them
"Don't tell me these are investments if you never intend to sell anything" (Quote: Wife)
You have done OK with this stahlhelm and answered your own question, it's always better to ask here first before taking the plunge and spending lots of money. Not ALL the sponsored traders on the site here are 100% good, I've seen bad pieces from some but asking first is always the best policy. Happy collecting!
Thanks everyone for the answers to my posts. It won't be my last, and not always in the forum of German steel helmets. I guess most people here understand and recognise my frustrations. On the other hand, I make the same faults that I sometimes reproach my own clients (veterinary surgeon). They make their own diagnosis and propose the therapy by searching on the internet...The fact is : it is not so simple. The more you become specialised in a certain domain, the more you realise that is not so simple as it looks...But I always take a lot of time to explain things to my clients although I know they cannot fully understand everything. So...Thanks again everyone for at least trying to explain why most of the helmets I posted are 'fake'...And I realise that things are not always white/black...
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