M16 Camo painted Stahlhelm - is this the real deal?

[PizzaKaiser]

Hi friends,

I recently acquired this helmet in a collection. I wasn't sure about it's authenticity at first... the chinstrap definitely looks off to me... possibly the liner pads too... but I'm not sure about the rest. The paint does seem to have oxidized... so that's a good sign.

It's named with pencil on the inside... but I can't make out exactly what the name is....

Does this look like a legit camo helmet? Or a repaint?

Thanks!

[AndyM35]

An all original camo that has been poorly stored post war. The leather liner band looks original. Regarding the liner, I would want to see some better high re images of the underside and the pads overall. They look OK and the colour looks similar to the scarcer grey/green died leather pads, however there is generally a contrast between the colour of the pads as the dye fades in the examples that are encountered. The colour is slightly darker than generally seen and the overall patina of them seems some what at variance with the rest of the shell. Perhaps they were treated with something post war. The brass M91 chinstrap hardware looks original while the strap does not.

[PizzaKaiser]

Thanks for the analysis @AndyM35!

I took a few more photos of the interior pads. I really don't know much about these helmets, so any info is greatly appreciated.

Thanks very much!

[AndyM35]

Thanks for the additional photos.

I’m leaning towards the liner pads as being reproduction for the following reasons:

The way the leather attaches to the material at rear of the pad (appears to have no stitching).

The colour of the leather.

The condition of the leather compared to the paint.

The way the leather sits in the dome (could be down to the helmet being on its side).

Yet in other ways they look OK.

I think I’d want to see them in person.

[PizzaKaiser]

Thanks for the detailed reply!

This is certainly a confusing helmet! My first reaction when I bought it was that the liner was a replacement... but the more I look at it the more I feel like it could be old. I'd never seen a black leather liner in an M1916 helmet... but then again I don't know these ones too well.

Perhaps... it's a genuine 1916 liner, but not original to this particular helmet? Perhaps one of it's previous owners had replaced the helmet's original (damaged/missing) liner for one in better condition?

Perhaps I will take the liner out of the helmet briefly at some point to get a better look.