Ww1 german M1916 camouflaged helmet ET64

[georgi]

Hello. Today I am showing a camouflage helmet that I want to buy. I already have two similar helmets, but I'm still not sure about my judgment. After looking at this helmet I think there is a good chance for a good example.
The helmet has equal wear inside and out. The factory color is visible below the other colors. Lining and chin rest appear to be correct.
The only thing that worries me is that the colors of the helmet are still very bright and preserved. A large part of the paint is also preserved on the horns of the helmet, which is not typical. Also there is more paint retained on the edges of the shell than is normal for these helmets. Is it possible that this helmet was repainted at some point after the war?
Please give your opinion!
Thanks Georgi.

[AndyM35]

Hi Georgi,

I’m giving this one a big thumbs up! Based on the images, though still not super clear, I can see enough to be confident that this is a very nice period applied camo and patina. I agree with the points you’ve raised and the helmet also shows some nice rust bleed under the camo, another good sign. The years of the Great War have obviously been added post war, but perhaps not too long afterwards.

I have no concerns about the colours and as I’ve said before, there is a huge variation in colours used as the paint colours were often mixed and part of the 1918 directive dictated that “One of the three colors must match the basic color found in the region of fighting”, so colours were different depending where the unit was. Regarding wear, you also need to take into account that it may not have had much use after the camo was applied. The owner may have been killed, injured and it picked up by an opposing side. It may never have had a stirnpanzer fitted at any point, so one less cause for wear on the vent lugs etc. It may have not been handled much after the war as well. There’s enough wear there though, that it doesn’t raise any particular red flags or look to be trying to deceive in any way.

But if you still don’t feel comfortable, let me know where it’s for sale and I’ll buy it! Lol

Andy

[Jack59]

Very nice helmet. IMO the helmet as a coat of wax. I don't want to start a debate here. Personally I have waxed a few of my older helmets but not all of them. It gives a nice little boost to the colour & freezes the rust. Could someone inform me about the stamping's meaning inside the crown. Thanks.
Jack

[BlackCat1982]

Looks to be a very decent stahlhelm, the addition of the dates with a sharpie is unfortunate but not disastrous. Very nice patina visible, brush strokes and overall appearance very nice indeed.

[AndyM35]

Don’t know that it’s a sharpie? Looks a bit too messy i.e.the letters and numerals aren’t uniform and end or start thin and go thick in the middle. Sharpies and other writing devices usually seem more consistent in their flow. No idea when it was added though.

[georgi]

Hello again.
Thanks for the opinions. This helmet proved to be a good example. The helmet is up for auction and I don't know if I will win it. There is pre-bidding for the helmet and the price is sure to go up a lot. If I don't succeed with the bidding, at least it turned out a good thread.
I am attaching more photos of the markings. It is clearly visible that the inscription with the years was placed in a later period.
I think colleague Jack59 is asking about the markings in the second photo. I have seen such a marking on other M16 helmets, but I don't know what it means. I don't understand from the comments exactly which marking you are discussing.
Regards Georgi.

[Jack59]

Hello guys, I'm curious about the cold stamp inside the crown. BW 104, metal batch # ? I've enlarge the pboto. Thanks.

I'll answer myself after digging a bit: "The inside dome of the helmet is also marked with a code known as a “heating lot number” This number was to aid in quality control at the factory level.In some cases it may indicate where the helmet’s steel was rolled."
* from: A Short History of the German Steel Helmet of the Great War - Alexander and Sons German Helmet Restoration

Good luck with the auction!

[MAP]

You are correct. That is the heat lot number.

Commend you for the research you are doing yourself.

[AndyM35]

Hello again.
Thanks for the opinions. This helmet proved to be a good example. The helmet is up for auction and I don't know if I will win it. There is pre-bidding for the helmet and the price is sure to go up a lot. If I don't succeed with the bidding, at least it turned out a good thread.
I am attaching more photos of the markings. It is clearly visible that the inscription with the years was placed in a later period.
I think colleague Jack59 is asking about the markings in the second photo. I have seen such a marking on other M16 helmets, but I don't know what it means. I don't understand from the comments exactly which marking you are discussing.
Regards Georgi.

Hi Georgi,

Yes, Jack was referring to the heat lot number or code which is found in the dome of most Imperial German steel helmets, but not all. These codes are said to indicate which rolling mill or factory, the steel planchette ( the round disc of steel the helmet shell was pressed from), came from. In this case it looks like either an R for Rochling or B for Becker. There is still not a lot of information that is not known about these codes, however there are certain correlations.

I was referring to the comment made by BlackCat regarding a sharpie (a type of pen) being used for the date “1914-1918”, which I originally referred to as “the years of the great war” and having been added “post war”. My point being that I feel it was written with something other than a pen. Paint perhaps? As to when it was added, we may never know. However, some returning soldiers who souvenired helmets etc would add dates or even paint images and post war camos on helmets to take home as a momento of having been involved in such a significant event in history. It may well have been added in the 1920, 30’s, 70’……who knows!?

Hope this clears things up
Andy

[AndyM35]

Oh, and here’s the dates right way around.