BACKGROUND: Germany has long been renown for producing excellent quality toys as far back as the 16^TH century with the towns of Nuremberg and Sonnenberg being the major toy manufacturing centers of western Europe of the period. In the early 1800's the Germans began to produce some of the earliest cast-iron and tin plate toys and Nuremberg had over three hundred toy manufacturers with over two hundred of them being involved in producing metal toys. The German fascination with toys continued into the 1900's and beyond. Some of the most popular toys were the miniature military figures and other military related items. After Hitler’s ascension to power in January 1933 the youthful innocence of military toys became sublimely corrupted to become an effective propaganda tool to stimulate interest in the military. During the Third Reich every imaginable type of military toy was produced to entice the German youths interest in the military and included assorted uniform items and helmets. This example is a miniature replica of the traditional German shaped helmet.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: The light weight, light gauge, stamped, magnetic sheet metal construction helmet retains about 95% of its original, smooth, field-grey paint with a couple of small areas of light surface spotting bleed through the paint. The left side of the helmet has a golden yellow, Wehrmacht, (Armed Forces), style national eagle decal with down-swept wings, clutching a canted swastika in it’s talons on a black, shield shaped base while the right side of the helmet has a black, white and red, national tri-color, shield shaped decal. The decals are just slightly smaller then the standard helmet decals and both are retained over 95% with some minor age toning. The golden yellow Wehrmacht eagle decal would generally indicate Kriegsmarine, (War Navy), usage as opposed to the silver Heer, (Army), eagle decal, but as a child’s toy helmet the eagle decal color may have no particular significance. The helmet has separate, inserted, embossed, replica ventilation lugs, as found on the WWI M16 and M18 style helmets, positioned on either side, just above the decals. The helmet has all five, small, punched holes intended for liner retaining rivets with two positioned to each side flanking the decals and the fifth to the reverse center. The helmet also has an additional, small punched hole to the bottom edge of the reverse center which appears to have been applied after the original manufacture. The liner retaining rivets, and as a result, the liner and chinstrap are all absent. The helmet has no visible size or manufacturer’s markings. The helmet has a rolled-in, outer edge rim with a crimping flaw to the reverse and a couple of small dings and dents to the crown. The interior of the helmet, where the liner would normally be placed, measures roughly, 22 1/16", (56cm). Unique, seldom encountered, child’s double decal toy helmet. This would rate a higher "Grade", if it wasn’t for the missing liner.

GRADE ***1/2                             PRICE $645.00