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 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. Once RAD members started being deployed to combat zone they where issued with steel helmets with their own insignia.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: The stamped, sheet steel construction helmet retains about 85% of its original age and usage field-grey paint. The left side of the helmet has a RAD helmet decal which is retained 90%. All three liner retaining rivets are intact. The interior of the helmet has a age darkened, M31 leather liner with all of its fingers (the tip of is torn, but still attached) intact. The liner is quite dry. The interior reverse neck guard apron has a faint serial number stamp that appears to be, "1897", and the interior left side apron is stamped with the manufacturers code and size, "ET64", indicating manufacture by Eisen-und Hüttenwerke, AG Thale/Harz, size 64. The helmet comes complete with a brown leather chinstrap with a steel pronged length adjustment buckle and retaining studs. The chinstrap is in overall very good condition with minor age stiffening. The chinstrap has no visible manufacturers markings. Rare helmet.

GRADE ****                             PRICE $2,975.00