Click on the banner to join the excellent German Helmet Walhalla forum where you can chat with hundreds of collectors from all over the world. See you there.

M35 ET62, named. Advice needed.

Page 1 of 2Next
Quote

Hi

I’d be interested in your views on this one. It’s part of my small collection but one I’m not certain about.

It’s an M35 ET 62. I believe it has been a DD helmet but is now SD – looks to me like tricolour has been period removed by its original owner. Lot number is 4238 and it has a reinforced ally liner band by Schuberth.

Paint – It’s had a coating of darker green paint over the lighter green original. It seems to have been painted carefully around the eagle but looks to have been done after the tricolour was removed. The dark green paint is especially worn away at the top of the helmet; at the spot where the tricolour used to be and also on the split pin heads. Helmet seems to have been painted to the outside only.

It has a dome stamp which I can’t read. The helmet is also named at the back to a soldier.

The chin strap has had some damage to the buckle and I’m unsure whether the long part is a chin strap or an equipment strap used as a replacement.

I’d be interested in your views on any of this and particularly the decal (s) and paint.

However, my main concern is the liner. I’m ashamed to say I’ve only noticed this recently – the liner leather is in sideways. The liner band is a 55, which is correct and split pins are all fine, unbent with washers and one is dated 39. However, whilst the stamp to the outside of the leather could possibly say 55 (it’s barely legible) it is clearly marked inside as 57. Despite this it seems to fit perfectly.

I ned your help with this one as I’m not sure what to make of these features.

Thanking you in advance!

Andy

Uploaded files:
  • You need to login to have access to uploads.
Quote

Looks all ok to me , the twisted band is of course something to inspect closer but all is original.

Quote

Thanks Frank. Any thoughts on the liner size?

Quote
Quote from Quist64 on April 9, 2020, 3:32 pm

Thanks Frank. Any thoughts on the liner size?

Andy

Did you happen to check the markings on the liner band, producer one side and band size(s) in the opposite side?

Quote

Hi Andrea

Yes, the maker is Schuberth and the band size is 55 which is right for a 62 but the inside of the leather is stamped 57.

Andy

Quote
Quote from Quist64 on April 9, 2020, 10:49 pm

Hi Andrea

Yes, the maker is Schuberth and the band size is 55 which is right for a 62 but the inside of the leather is stamped 57.

Andy

So the leather has been replaced. It is a little wider if you see carefully, almost touching the shell. also the rear seam is out of its place, so that would already indicate that it isn't untouched.

That size marking (the font i mean) should belong to a Werner Zahn produce, not a Schuberth Werk.

We did see a correlation btw liners makers and size markings typology (sub suppliers of such producers).

If this happened war time or postwar is hard to tell without the helmet in hand.

Quote

Thanks Andrea.

Interesting. I've just looked at your article on this on GHW and I see what you mean.

Is this something that could have happened during wartime - wrong size and maker leather replaced in a helmet with the rear seam out of place? Or is it more likely to have been messed with post war?

Andy

Quote
Quote from Quist64 on April 9, 2020, 11:21 pm

Thanks Andrea.

Interesting. I've just looked at your article on this on GHW and I see what you mean.

Is this something that could have happened during wartime - wrong size and maker leather replaced in a helmet with the rear seam out of place? Or is it more likely to have been messed with post war?

Andy

you're welcome Andy. good that you looked at that study which might be of some help in cases like this.

We know helmets were reworked, liners were swapped etc...in wartime. For ex heads sizes same as shoes, some people have half sizes.

a possibility was that a 62 head would have fitted to a 64 maybe no helmet was available in 64 so they took a 62 shell. But as said above it could be hard to make it out if was done wartime or not.

but you can check one thing...

Quote

This is a reinforced aluminum band.

The small rivets of the extra band should have left a trace on the leather, IF they were put together long time ago.

Wearing the helmet for months or years those rivets would have left their markings (one side more visible than the other usually) as you can see on the photo attached.

If you see this feature then the probability it was done since is very high.

Uploaded files:
  • You need to login to have access to uploads.
Quote

Well, that's probably the best bit of advice/ tip I've had for as long time!

Please see attached photos and, if you have time, let me know your thoughts. It seems to me that there are quite definite markings from the rivets. One rivet is directly above a liner 'pin' and you can see that it has indented that also.

Thanks again for your help Andrea.

Regards

Andy

Uploaded files:
  • You need to login to have access to uploads.
Page 1 of 2Next