SEE BELOW FOR DESCRIPTION
SEE BELOW FOR DESCRIPTION
S000866 ALLGEMEINE-SS TRANSITIONAL "HIMMLER" STYLE HELMET. (Stahlhelm)
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. At the end of WWI it is estimated that Germany had produced about 8,500,000 steel helmets. As a result of the restrictions placed on the German's by the Treaty of Versailles, which dictated a standing army of only 100,000 personnel, there was an abundant surplus of these helmets, and though they saw widespread use by Freikorps personnel, there was still a stockpile controlled by the Reichswehr. These excess helmets underwent minor modifications in 1923 with the addition of provincial identifying shield decals and in 1931 with the development of a new chinstrap and liner system. Although helmet development was ongoing when Hitler came to power in 1933, the M16 and M18 helmets were still the main headgear worn in the 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. After the development of the new M35 helmet, the WWI M16 and M18 helmets were still issued to second line and training troops well into WWII. The Allgemeine-SS, (General-SS), and the SS-Verfügungstruppe, (SS-Special Purpose Troops) were also allocated quantities of the M16 and M18 helmets. There where also a number of commercial helmets produced in the same style as the M18 for the Allgemeine-SS including this pattern known to collector’s as the "Himmler" style.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: The sheet steel construction "Himmler" style helmet retains about 60% of its original blue andonize factory finish. This example was worn with-out decals which would date it to the 1931 to 1933 period. All three liner retaining rivets and both of the extended ventilation side lugs are all intact. The interior of the helmet has an age and usage darkened, M31 tan leather liner which is fully intact with all the fingers and the original tie string. The liner shows light chafe wear to the edges and moderate age and usage toning but is in overall very good condition and the leather is still quite supple. Liner is dated for 1931. Shell is unmarked. The helmet comes complete with a blackened leather chinstrap with a natural aluminum, pronged, length adjustment buckle and retaining studs. Roughly a size 58". Very nice helmet in untouched original condition. See pages 62 through 70 of "SS-Steel" by Kelly Hicks.
GRADE **** PRICE $ SOLD
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