Added an ersatz to my small collection -NOW with PHOTOS

ebeeby

ebeeby

Member
I very much like it as it displays very nicely but I unpacked it to find it had a new set of holes for the wappen.
This helmet was represented as "untouched" "all original" and I was disappointed to find the second set of holes.

Still, the shell is quite handsome and it did come with cockades, chin strap and the liner looks very very good - maybe too good.

So for you ersatz guys - how bad is it to have 4 holes in the brow?

there is a 14 day money back......

Eric
 
The holes are perfectly punched but not perfectly centered. The loops are then tied on the inside with old string. Is there such a thing as "period" extra holes or was it always bubba?
 
The plate is sitting much too low . It is a good period felt helmet but I think the plate is a later addition. I think the holes are all period but hard to tell without examining it in hand. In any case, the plate would still be sitting too low what ever pair of holes were used.
 
Will the plate fit into the original holes (to me, using a ruler to measure, it looks as if it would?) If not, then I would also suspect an added plate. the L with a blackened smudge following it says to me that somebody wanted to hide the fact that this was not a Prussian helmet, or the plate lacked the Landwehr cross (am I reading that right?). Are there any marks or imprints on the shell, with the plate removed to suggest a different plate, such as Bavarian or other?
The string looks more like a woven cotton tie of some sort. (I have one similar to yours that somebody fastened the plate with a blue plaid cloth on the OUTSIDE behind the plate... I left it on, part of the helmet's history and also kind of fun to look at)

:D Ron
 
Did anyone notice that stitchline on the liner where it joins the neckguard? The liner looks good to me but what are those stitch holes? Was it restitched?
 
THe chicken that came with it is too narrow to fit. An extra chicken I had snaps nicely into place (I don't think it is a repro chicken I had on hand).
No sign of a ghost under the plate other than the Preuss chicken.
The wappen with the string came with the helmet.

Questions: 1) I paid just under $650 for this helmet. As fine as the shell is, is that way too much for the extra holes?
2) Were there any extra holes made which were "period"
3) Does my replacement wappen which fits look repro?





 
Hey Eric,
The new chicken looks in much better condition than the rest of the fixtures; especially that rusty chinstrap.
Makes it look silver due to the strong contrast.
Personally, I would want only one in my collection and it would need to be as close to pristine as possible although I recon this is rather hard with filzhelme. Not to mention the extra holes that would bother me.
As for the price, although it seems fair for such a helmet, for $350 more, you could still find a decent unquestionable one such as these 2 guys (although your liner seems much better):
http://www.germanmilitaria.com/Imperial/photos/G011666.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.germanmilitaria.com/Imperial/photos/G010066.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
That's only my opinion of course...
 
Thanks Ron. Hard decision for me as the felt shell is so good and all the fixtures except the wappen look unmolested and original to the shell.
 
I know the feeling... I recently returned what I thought was an awesome East Asian Tropenhelm (posted on the Forum) when I realized there was no real proof the Reichsadler had always been there... There's still plenty of filzhelme for the both of us to pick from. I'm looking for one too!
 
The seller says, "The helmet plate is fastened with a second set of period holes below the brass rimmed ones and tied on with old shoelacing type material. These holes are not just something someone punched in the helmet but professionally done probably at the manufacturrrs or a depot so the plate would sit a bit lower." :^o

Is he for real? [-(
 
He did refund my money promptly though he repeated his claim that this is "original untouched" and that the second set of holes are period or "arsenal" done.
I didn't want to argue with him and was glad that he honored his return policy - which, again, he did promptly.
 
Speaking of VERY NICE looking Ersatz Filzhelme that would've been a great find if it wasn't for two grommeted extra holes behind the wappen... ](*,)
http://www.germanmilitaria.com/Imperial/photos/G015269.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Although the seller mentions these extra holes are grommeted and are period applied, this doesn't necessarily mean the other 2 used to fix the wappen were not made post-war...
 
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