PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: A second pattern (with a magnetic steel rim instead of a raw edge) Mark l non-magnetic hardened manganese steel helmet. Resembling the helmet worn by English pike men in the 14th and 15th centuries, this 1916 pattern is basin-shaped with a small rivet to the apex of the crown, fixing the internal liner, and two small split rivets along the apron, one over each ear, for the chin strap securing lugs. Its formed mild steel rim is lapped and welded at the reverse. The exterior surface is finished with rough, sand-infused dark olive drab paint. To the interior, the crown of the helmet has padding constructed of layered felt with a rubber ring, as introduced in 1917, hidden beneath it. Proceeding from underneath the rivet and washer at this apex is a brown leather strap which passes over the padding, is rivetted to either outer edge of the otherwise freely-floating headband support, and whose ends then terminate in brass loops which run through the larger brass loops of the chin strap securing lugs. Twelve tubular rubber buffers are evenly set into the leather outside of the headband support, whose interior has blackened oilcloth over wool and canvas, forming the headband itself. The leather and rubber of the liner have hardened with age. Above this tongue less headband may be seen netting and an adjustable drawstring. The brown leather chin strap has a nickel-plated steel slide buckle and is looped and rivetted unto the brass loops to the ends of the lining support strap. One end of the chinstrap has a brass cotter split-pin for securing it through the brass loop at the end of the strap coming from the crown. To the underside of the rear brim of the helmet body is stamped "D/F 67" for James Dixon & Sons. (Helmet maker) & Thomas Firth & Sons. (Steel Supplier) and the code numbers for the batch of steel the helmet was made from. The helmet retains about 82% of its paint with some light surface spotting and scratching and a couple of small dents mostly to the crown. Excellent, complete original example.

GRADE ****                             PRICE $388.00