Felt helmet on ebay

Amybellars

Well-known member
Bought this from ebay and honestly I don't know why I was even tempted to buy it.

Trusted the seller to tell me that chinstrap is original, no extra holes and liner all original.

Upon receipt of the item, this is what I have found
1. Matching patina
2. Have doubts over leather on chinstrap and liner. To me the leather is not original.
3. The list goes on.....

I wrote to the seller, an old guy, not rude but he told me that I am lack of knowledge. He said the guys during the war all went to the war, so the women who worked in these factories never bothered about German precision skills ??? I went arg??? :o He further mentioned that since I have that little knowledge, I should stop collecting. ... I just don't know what I have missed - a felt helmet at a good price. He went on to say that I would be paying twice as much for a leather version, which I believe he refers to M15.

Then he went on with explanation on the "not leather material" - during the war, there was shortage of leather and any material can be used to replace these leather parts and he went on to assure me that everything is correct to the helmet with long emails.

I wasn't convinced and decided to send the helmet back and open a ebay dispute. I don't know why, but I also opened a paypal dispute as his paypal was not linked to his ebay account. When I won the item, I was given a paypal address to make payment as I could not be linked from the "PAY NOW" to paypal.

Then did all the necessary, like packed, photo, returned with registered and signature...ebay wrote back and did not rule in my favour cos they said I did not make the payment using ebay linked methods?????

Paypal refunded it on the same day???

So guys, make sure you use the link to make payment and of cos, you guys are sharper than me who can identify the faults at a go. I am a very visual person where I would only see things through when I have the item in hand.
 

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More pictures
 

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Sorry to hear about your problems with the helmet Amy. I would have been fooled as it all looks good to me but as you know I am really new at this.

Thanks for the PayPal tip.

Peter
 
Hi Amy,

I'm no expert on felt helmets but the liner looks wrong (material, shape and wear) but that might be due to a "non-leather" material being used. The JASTA stamp looks wrong as well, and would make this helmet sought after if real.

I think you did the right thing to send it back.

Regards, Lars
 
Chin strap is not stitched properly and too many little filaments on the flesh side. When new, leather has all these tanned bits/hairs of flesh on the flesh side of the hide. These wear off with use and become smooth like the dyed/hair side of the hide. Any normal leather article, shoes, bags, gloves etc. always uses the smooth hair side as the outside surface. JASTA 2 ???....a fighter squadron??
 
The leather on the chin strap has been replaced (I personally don't have that much of an issue with that, it beats a total repro). Cockade looks like a relic one to me. Have to agree with B.L., " JASTA 2 ???....a fighter squadron??".
 
What is most frustrating about this, is an unfortunate common occurrence, where some eBay seller belittles Amy's experience and knowledge and tried to 'educate' her.

It's happened to me too Amy. Apparently I know nothing and was lectured.
 
When reading about your experience here Amy, my first reaction was....she's run across some old chauvinist p-g. Everything he wrote you was meant to demean and belittle you which is a cheap tactic employed by bullies ! So, recognize it for what it was and move on. My old Mum you to say 'It takes all kinds to make a world" God bless her! Many many weak people react this way in order to survive in this world....pathetic really. I am constantly learning on this forum and that is why I love it.
 
b.loree said:
When reading about your experience here Amy, my first reaction was....she's run across some old chauvinist p-g. Everything he wrote you was meant to demean and belittle you which is a cheap tactic employed by bullies ! So, recognize it for what it was and move on. My old Mum you to say 'It takes all kinds to make a world" God bless her! Many many weak people react this way in order to survive in this world....pathetic really. I am constantly learning on this forum and that is why I love it.

Well I was a bit taken aback by his remarks. He explained that he had held the item very close to him for 30 years but the threads on the helmet, the stamping etc just don't add up. I told him I don't want to destroy his dream that the helmet is totally collect. In fact, there is a website warhats.com that sells the stamp which looks exactly the same as the helmet.

I laughed it off with his remarks but his explanations was really hilarious. I told him that the liner was glue to the body before machining, has he any clue?

His reply was, the liner was not glued, the leather stick-ed (LOL) onto the helmet body after all these years!!! ](*,) ](*,) I went :cry: :cry: and then he reiterate that the women in the german factories disregard the German precision and do it their way LOL
 

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Lars13 said:
Hi Amy,

I'm no expert on felt helmets but the liner looks wrong (material, shape and wear) but that might be due to a "non-leather" material being used. The JASTA stamp looks wrong as well, and would make this helmet sought after if real.

I think you did the right thing to send it back.

Regards, Lars

When I have in my hands, I knew I was wrong LOL ](*,) ](*,)
 
Tony without Kaiser said:
What is most frustrating about this, is an unfortunate common occurrence, where some eBay seller belittles Amy's experience and knowledge and tried to 'educate' her.

It's happened to me too Amy. Apparently I know nothing and was lectured.

Tony, when you got lectured, I can imagine you sitting there looking at your collection and having a good laugh LOL

When I was belittle to the extend of asking me to stop collecting, I went into my collection room and talked to the helmets LOL, But honestly, I did doubt myself for a minute and burst out into laughter.
 
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