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, (National Defence {Force}), (Circa 1919-1933), 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 70% of an age and usage darkened, hand brushed, rough textured, field-grey camouflage over-paint with small spots of wear to the underlying smooth parade green paint and one large and a couple of smaller spots of wear to the base steel at the crown with light to moderate surface spotting. All three liner retaining rivets and both inserted ventilation bushings are all intact. The interior of the helmet has an M31, tan, leather liner with all eight of its original fingers and the original tie string intact. The liner is in overall good, supple, condition with minor age and usage toning and light chafe wear to the bottom edge. The liner is well marked with a faint, black, size inkstamp, "57". The camouflage over-paint has obscured any stamped serial number to the interior, reverse, neck guard apron and the interior left side apron has the faint, partially obscured, stamped manufacturer’s code and size with only the size visible as, "64". The helmet comes complete with a blackened leather chinstrap with a pronged, natural alloy, length adjustment buckle and both retaining studs intact. The chinstrap shows light chafe wear and surface cracking. The chinstrap has no visible manufacturer’s markings.

GRADE ***1/4                             PRICE $1,250.00