BACKGROUND: The first "modern" steel helmets were introduced by the French army in early 1915 and were shortly followed by the British army later that year. With plans on the drawing board, experimental helmets in the field, ("Gaede" helmet), and some captured French and British helmets the German army began tests for their own steel helmet at the Kummersdorf Proving Grounds in November, and in the field in December 1915. An acceptable pattern was developed and approved and production began at Eisen-und Hüttenwerke, AG Thale/Harz, in the spring of 1916. These first modern M16 helmets evolved into the M18 helmets by the end of WWI. The M16 and M18 helmets remained in usage through-out the Weimar Reichswehr era and on into the early years of the Third Reich until the development of the smaller, lighter M35 style helmet in June 1935. In an effort to reduced construction time and labor costs minor modifications were introduced in March 1940 resulting in the M40 helmet. Further construction modifications were undertaken in August 1942 resulting in the M42 helmet. Originally the Third Reich national tri-color helmet decal was introduced on March 14^TH 1933 for wear on the left side of the helmet to replace the Reichswehr era state shield insignia. Regulations of February 17^TH 1934 introduced the Wehrmacht eagle decal and the national tri-color decal was shifted to the right side of the helmet with the Wehrmacht eagle decal positioned on the left hand side. Regulations of March 21^ST 1940 dictated that the national tri-color decal was to be removed from all helmets and further regulations of August 28^TH 1943 abolished the Wehrmacht eagle decal and dictated that it was also to be removed from all helmets although the directives were not completely adhered to.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: The stamped, sheet steel, construction helmet retains about 85% of its heavily applied, rough textured, camouflage over-paint in random splotches of pale yellow, green and brown with a few small scrapes and scuffs revealing the underlying field-grey paint and the base metal with moderate surface spotting. It is difficult to determine whether the all the brown is actually the camouflage paint or surface spotting bleed through although it blends in very well. All three liner retaining rivets are all intact. The left hand size of the helmet has remnants of a Wehrmacht eagle shield decal. The interior of the helmet has a light, M31, tan leather, liner with all of eight of its fingers and a leather tie string intact. The liner shows light chafe wear to the edges and light age and usage toning, and the leather is still quite supple. The liner has no visible size markings. The interior, reverse, neck guard apron has a faint, stamped serial number that appears to be, "962" and remnants of a white, hand painted name. The interior, left side apron has a faint, stamped manufacturer’s code and size that appears to be, "EF64", indicating manufacture by Emaillierwerk, AG Fulda, size 64. The helmet comes complete with a shortened, blackened leather chinstrap with a pronged, natural alloy, length adjustment, buckle and steel retaining studs all intact. The chinstrap shows light chafe wear and some minor surface cracking. Although shortened the chinstrap is still long enough to flip up over the forward visor. The chinstrap has no visible manufacturer’s markings.

GRADE ***1/4                             PRICE $1,180.00