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C040859 FRENCH WWII INFANTRY M26 ADRIAN HELMET.
BACKGROUND: The French were the first to have a general issue, "modern ", steel helmet in WWI and developed the classic "Adrian" style helmet in early 1915 followed by the British army later that year and by the German’s in 1916. By September of 1915 most French front line personnel had received the helmet and by the end of the year over three million had been manufactured and distributed. The next helmet produced by the French was the M26. It differed from the M16 by being pressed out of a single piece of manganese steel and had a different liner making it easier to manufacture.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: An M26 "Adrian" helmet, consisting of a manganese steel shell, a mild steel top comb and folded mild steel rim. The helmet retains almost all of its period olive green paint. 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 infantry emblem is attached by dual prongs to the front, being a 2" diameter magnetic steel plate, also painted olive drab, which has an embossed flaming bomb with a raised "RF" ("Republique Français") cypher. 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. The interior of the helmet retains its original age and usage darkened, six finger, oilcloth liner with its original tie string. As expect, the oilcloth is age cracked, but complete. The liner attaches to the rectangular pieces by means of small metal prongs sewn to the headband. The tabs over each ear have square metal "rings" for the chin strap. The natural 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 minor chafe wear and age soiling and has stiffened with age. Almost all of its original paint has been retained to the interior and exterior of the helmet. Nice large size, probably a 60 or 62. Great paint!
GRADE **** PRICE $238.00
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