Dear reader,
Got me a book to review via a friend today , he said “Frank you have to see this book” and sent me pictures and video via Whatsapp. The book in question is a self published book by author Peter Nash on German Combat helmets 1933 – 1945.
The photos and video preview I received prompted me to jump in my car and drive to my friend to get it. You will understand when you read the review.
REVIEW German Combat Helmets 1933 – 1945 by Peter J Nash
Warning : This review may contain traces of sarcasm
So there it is a hardcover book with 360 pages.
But what’s that on the front cover ? Not a very convincing example of a period German WW2 helmet but I guess it’s just my suspicious nature. Right ? We will see…
Page 1 and another suspicious looking German helmet with a fake tricolor ? There must be an explanation , let’s skip to the introduction.
The introduction tells us that the helmets are from the author’s 30 years collection , counting back this means he started collecting in 1988. Dangerous times. No internet , no color books to help you. Dealers reigned in those days as did fakers.
Other helmets come from his sons 25 year old collection and the icing on the cake Weitze and Oakleaf militaria also provided images in return for some advertising. Just what the community needs , another helmet book with dealer involvement.
So let us assess what is in the book , the disappointing cover aside.
Page 6 and 7 again 2 fake helmets. I know it is hard to tell from the photos but the right helmet is quoted as being an ET and carries a Big foot adler. Don’t get me started on the Kriegsmarine one , just too crazy for words.
Peter do please educate us on helmets because we are obviously missing something ? Skipping the fakes from page 8 to 11 we find on page 12 Peter his take on decals.
Peter says that the decal vs shell correlation is false. In his words “This false theory has resulted in de-valuing many collections and the smearing of well intentioned dealers.”
Dealer protection again…
Ok so I’m now on page 12 having read the most inane drivel from someone that has seemed to make a living from collecting fakes and then imagining them as authentic. What treasure is there still to gain from this book Frank I hear you all wondering ?
Hold your horses , check out this gallery of authentic decals. Sorry for the poor photos but you will see that in Peter Nash’s world the Big foot fake fits on all helmets.
The authentic Kriegsmarine decal gallery does not have a single authentic decal either. It shows again all Big foot fakes.
The Luftwaffe adlers he shows are all fake. The easy kind !
The books has 90 helmets in it , generously counting I came out at 68 easy identifiable fakes of which 9 out of 10 had fake big foot decals. Even M42’s. The liners are all cheap Eastern Euro crap.
Oh yes there is also SS stuff in there but we have already proven Peter is in above his head here. The gallery of crap continues.
Then come the even more insane pages in the book. Peter tutors us on what’s the difference between a fake and a fake. What !?
Steady guys , in Peter’s world he is showing the difference between a fake and an authentic decal. Look he’s written it above the decals.
In our world however I am looking at a person that has lost his marbles comparing 2 identical fakes.
CONCLUSION : Why was this book written ?
One would think that it makes no sense that anyone would write a book filled with fake helmets BUT in the world of Third Reich Militaria collecting it does make sense. It is not the first time fakes were inserted in books to make them authentic. The subtleness of previous cases is missing here altogether.
I can only speculate but the book challenges several generally accepted facts on German helmets. I say facts because testing theories based on observation is an accepted scientific process. By such observations we have made huge leaps forward in decal and helmet knowledge in general. To refute these findings made by collectors worldwide is utterly stupid.
The only party that really benefits from undermining collector communities are shady dealers.
Another reason why this book has seen the light may have to do with the fact that the collection would be put up for sale soon. Maybe or not the author only recently discovered he’s been collecting fakes for 30 years.
“Look it’s in a book” has made many victims. If he knows the helmets are fakes and I can’t imagine that no-one told him the book is made with fraudulent intent pure and simple.
But that’s the world we live in.
Good night everyone,
Frank