PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: A light weight, stamped, "Adrian" helmet, consisting of a manganese steel shell, an aluminum steel top comb and folded mild steel rim. The helmet retains almost all of its period olive green paint with some minor surface spotting, mostly to the rim and appears to be refurbished as there are minor usage dents but no paint damage. The top comb, attached by four split rivets, has ventilation slots to either side of the crown, over eight small circular perforations to the apex of the helmet itself. The space between the comb and the back visor is 9/16" (15mm) indicating manufacture in 1937 or later. A separate, standard French Combat Engineer emblem is attached by dual prongs to the front, being a 2" diameter magnetic steel plate, also painted olive drab, which has an embossed breast plate with a raised "RF" ("Republique Français") cypher and a crested helm above. There are double rivets to each of the cardinal points immediately above where the visor begins to flare out. These rivets hold in place four tabs to the interior which bend back upon themselves and expand into open rectangles. Stamped to the interior crown can be seen the size "D". The interior of the helmet retains its original, six finger, blackened leather liner with its original tie string. The liner has thick felt padding along the exterior of its sweatband, has a bit of damage to the end of one finger, is stiffening wit age but has only minor usage wear. Stamped to inside of one finger is the size "58". The liner attaches to the rectangular pieces by means of small metal prongs sewn to the headband of the liner with all of them showing light to moderate oxidization. The tabs over each ear have square metal "rings" for the chin strap. The blackened leather chin strap is folded back upon itself and fixed with an alloy rivet around one of the rings and is looped around the other ring and through a blackened metal adjusting buckle. The chin strap exhibits light chafe wear, a tiny tear and has stiffened with age. Almost all of its original paint has been retained to the interior and exterior of the helmet with the interior and exterior showing minor surface oxidization while the comb retains about 90% of its paint with some paint chips that are mostly to the crown.

GRADE****                             PRICE $176.00