Leutnant Beimann’s M16 camo Helmet.

[AndyM35]

A recent addition to my Imperial Collection is this very interesting swirling camo variation painted on a Bell L (Lindenberg A.G., Remscheid-Hasten), manufactured M16 sized 64 shell. Neatly named to Leutnant Beimann in the rear skirt, the inside features a nice early leather liner band and lightly used brown leather pads, with two retaining their filling.

The camo is very neatly rendered and gives the impression of being done when time was in abundance. Ironically, I first saw this example more than 20 years ago when it was featured in the book Helmets of the First World War by Michael J Haselgrove and Branislav Radovic, so it is an unexpected but great pleasure, to now be the new custodian.

Hope you like it.
Andy

[TabsTabs1964]

Hi Andy.

A masterpiece!

Regards
Santi

PS
Really Andy, you have such an incredible set of helmets that I would pay to see them live.
I don't know if you have a thread where they all go together. Congratulations!

By the way you could earn a living as a photographer of objects for catalogs

[BlackCat1982]

Very nice stahlhelm, the camouflage pattern seems very lurid for the Western front, I wonder if the Leutnant served in another theatre?

[Chopperman]

That's an interesting helmet.
The colors are so bright, if I would have seen this at a show or a flea market,
I would have assumed that it was a recent repaint.

Congrats on getting one that you've been watching for 20 years.

[AndyM35]

Hi Andy.

A masterpiece!

Regards
Santi

PS
Really Andy, you have such an incredible set of helmets that I would pay to see them live.
I don't know if you have a thread where they all go together. Congratulations!

By the way you could earn a living as a photographer of objects for catalogs

Thank you very much for the kind words SantI! I really appreciate it. I’ve been trying very hard to work on my photographs and always feel as though I have a certain duty to try to capture them as best as I possibly can as a tribute to the original owners. Funny you should mention a thread, as I was only thinking I should collate them and perhaps create a little book for myself and to record them for insurance purposes and to enjoy looking at rather than having to search.

Andy

[AndyM35]

Very nice stahlhelm, the camouflage pattern seems very lurid for the Western front, I wonder if the Leutnant served in another theatre?

Thanks BlackCat. Note sure about Leut Beimann but would be very interested to know. I know this one was around at least 23 years ago and I believe I may know who owned it at the time and might try to contact them to see if they know any more. Could be my photos that make them appear more lurid as I do edit them for the light, contrast and add the vignette which give the shadowed look in the corners. I think this tends to brighten the colours a little.

[relicz]

Very interesting Pattern Andy, and the liner is minty, congratulations. Provenance is huge as well, and a Bell L to boot!! Would love to see some daylight photos, probably reveal some interesting details as only sunlight can.

[AndyM35]

That's an interesting helmet.
The colors are so bright, if I would have seen this at a show or a flea market,
I would have assumed that it was a recent repaint.

Congrats on getting one that you've been watching for 20 years.

Thanks Greg! It’s certainly quite striking. The more camos I’ve seen over the years, the more I’ve come to notice how many camo designs deviated away from the original 1918 directorate which stated three colours “to be sharply separated from each other by a finger-wide black stripe”. Perhaps Leut Beimann wanted to be a little easier to recognise amongst his troops.

[AndyM35]

Very interesting Pattern Andy, and the liner is minty, congratulations. Provenance is huge as well, and a Bell L to boot!! Would love to see some daylight photos, probably reveal some interesting details as only sunlight can.

Thanks John! Yes, Bell L manufactured helmets are a favoured of mine. These photos were actually taken out on the deck yesterday with some grey cardboard as the back ground. I used my iPad and then edited them which does account perhaps for some of the brightness of the paint.

I’ve studied it quite closely including under the pads and aside from the name couldn’t see anything. Perhaps I will have another look today and take a few photos to show it as it is in-un-edited. And you’re right, it’s amazing how much can be noticed in natural daylight. I once discovered that a BF64 I’ve had for some time had a name and date written in pencil on the front. Would have had no chance of seeing it inside the house.

Andy

[TWS]

Congratulations Andy. Fantastic that you were able to obtain it after 20 years. Striking helmet for sure.