Are these German helmets good?
Hello, do these helmets look good? The paint looks a little off. I know little about German helmets so I would like to get an opinion from you guys. Thanks in advance
Original WWII WW2 German Helmet with Liner and Chinstrap | eBay
Here are some pictures. Helmet #1
Liner and chinstraps are modern copies. The shell also looks bad. Leave it well alone.
Don’t search much on eBay, there are a lot of scammers there, here’s a list of sellers selling stahlhelms
Espenlaub militaria, a sponsor of the forum
The ruptured duck.com
Originalgermanmilitara or German war booty
Relics from the front, primarily a relics seller. And maybe emedals. Raul
Edit: if you want decalled helms for good prices go to the classifieds
eBay really isn't a good place to start in regards to German helmets. The place is awash with fakes and reproductions. An experienced helmet collector who knows what he's looking for might squeeze one or two decent helmets out of eBay in a year, but with the exception of relics, the selection is generally bad. It's where all the two-bit conmen go to dump their garbage, and is best avoided if you're just taking your first steps into the world of German steel helmets.
My humble advice: Save up a little and go through a reputable dealer, at least for your first helmet. Once you have your hands on an authentic piece, and know what a genuine German lid looks and feels like in the hand, you'll be much better equipped to go hunting elsewhere. As always, however, be sure to post any prospective purchases on the forum first, even if the seller is a reputable one. It's better to be safe than sorry, especially given that the price of a half-decent German lid is no small sum to say the least!
Regards, B.B.
Thank you all for the quick replies! I will be sure to check out those sellers Raul. I should have known better about evilbay...
eBay can be a good source of militaria, it's just that you have to wade through a lot of crap to get to it. A good portion of my collection has come from eBay, and I'm sure there are other collectors here in the same boat. As long as you know what you're looking for, and only buy from sellers who offer a returns period, it can be a fairly profitable venture.by 11thArmoredThunderbolts
Caution is key. If something feels wrong about an item, either post it on the forum for the sake of scrutiny or don't buy it at all.
B.B.
First...you did well by asking first
Second. Dealer, eBay, swap meet, etc. Doesn't matter. Always get a helmet checked out first
Third. See post 4 of the below linked thread. There are other reputable dealers out there so this is not comprehensive but these are some of the best in the US (note: I would shy away from eMedals for helmets. Their specialty is medals )
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)
I have acquired several helmets on ebay throughout the years but most have been M1's or post war helmets. No problems yet but I have never ventured into German militaria yet on ebay so I wasn't sure.
Just to reinforce what Brodie said. Ebay is only a good source if YOU know what you are looking for!
Otherwise, as we tend to say in "the job" "believe no-one, suspect everybody and investigate everything". That way you MIGHT catch the bad guy!
That might sound cynical but it leads to the optimum rather than following the optimistic!
Well done for asking first.
Regards
Mark
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares more about than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature with no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
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