M16 Stalhelm with Camouflage

[RON]

How a bout this one? Is it really up to the army standards? Didn't the regulations stipulate the shapes should have sharp corners only?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/German-WW1-M16-Camouflage-Helmet-/290605600369?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43a9718e71" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Scratch]

How a bout this one? Is it really up to the army standards? Didn't the regulations stipulate the shapes should have sharp corners only?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/German-WW1-M16-Camouflage-Helmet-/290605600369?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43a9718e71" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Camos vary enormously. You get sharp borders, round ones, none at all, splodges and just about everything else. Looks good to me. (I have no connection with the seller and don't know who he is.)

 

[RON]

Gents, especially you Stahlhelm fans out there, I need your help with this please!

Here are a few pictures, closeups, and observations I was able to compile so far:
> Camo looks quite old and faded and definitely needs some TLC to make it a bit more shiny.
> The shell has a couple of cracks as you can see. One towards the lower left ear (could be war damage) and a thin one further up. The latter one could be suspicious as helmets that didn't withstand tension were usually discarded at production or after... Or maybe it was caused by the lower blow to the helmet which would also make sense?
> There's no chinstrap or horse pillows in the pockets under the liner pads. The seller who's from England (many fakes there!) can't seem to find any markings inside either.
> According to him the liner band & padding are original to helmet which is rather rusty. The rear rivet attaching the band to the helmet is thicker than the 2 side ones as it should be which would indicate that liner was never messed-up with/removed.
Does it look sound to you?

What do you think?

 

[badener]

I'd keep looking until I found something without flaws.

 

[poniatowski]

Judging from the compression cracks (caused by concussion I'd think, near artillery hit), somebody really got their bell rung in this thing. Be that as it may, that's some pretty deep pitting inside for such a nice liner and good paint outside. I'd be suspicious of this and pass it up as well. I'd be willing to guess that the camo was applied over rust, which wouldn't have happened in the field.

Ron

 

[Scratch]

Having seen the interior close up, it'd be hard to disagree with Ron's point about the pitting. If the paint jobs are now that good, it seems it's become unsafe for any but the most expert to buy one of these on ebay. Very disconcerting.

 

[edwin]

Having seen the interior close up, it'd be hard to disagree with Ron's point about the pitting. If the paint jobs are now that good, it seems it's become unsafe for any but the most expert to buy one of these on ebay. Very disconcerting.

It most certainly is. From all the nice helmets that are on ebay, I would never buy a stahlhelm with camouflage because you just can't be sure about its authenticity.

Regards,

Edwin

 

[ebeeby]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/220841116712?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ron - In this example, I like the paint on the helmet. Notice how the black dividers do not look like they were taped when painted. Note too how the black dividers are worn and faded like the colors. However, the liner looks wrong to me. The liner band looks too thick (the makers stamp notwithstanding).
Then look at the Stirmpanzer paint. The black lines look taped in places rather than hand painted. The colors are different from the helmet.
So I think one good component - the camo on the helmet - was used as a base to fake up a set and draw the kind of bids you see.
Camo helmets on ebay are a very risky thing.

 

[RON]

Eric, you're absolutely right, these are indeed too risky.

But one has to admit this is one nice shell you just posted! Look at those beautiful old colors!

Too bad they added that Stirmpanzer (didn't know they camouflaged these too; but then again this would make sense for an MG operator not wanting to be spotted by enemy snipers or even aerial reconnaissance). And you're absolutely right about that liner band which is indeed too thick as opposed to the one I posted above whose liner is way too thin. And look at those stitches, I bet these would glow like a Christmas tree under a black light!

As to the maker's stamp on the liner, I think the 1918 date by itself gives it away as a fake. Hadn't they switched to metal instead of leather bands as early as 1917 and shouldn't an M1918 have its chinstrap directly connected to the liner instead of the shell? Case closed I guess... too bad for that nice shell!

 

[RON]

Here's 2 more:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-WW1-GERMAN-M-16-CAMO-HELMET-w-LINER-SIZE-66-/180723664691?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a13f84733" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FANTASTIC-WW-1-GERMAN-CAMO-HELMET-CLOTH-CHINSTRAP-AND-LINER-IDD-/160651250022?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item25678f8966" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

These things are suddenly popping up "from vet. attics" all over the US!

 

[RON]

All right, how about this M16?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AWESOME-IDd-WWI-Artillery-Sgt-Grouping-NO-RESERVE-2-German-Camo-M1916-Helmet-/300602290867" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[RON]

Was French helmet blue really applied on some variant M16 helmets?:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/330624553847" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
(If I'm not mistaken, seller is one of us?)

 

[poniatowski]

About the last one, I don't see anything wrong with the blue paint. If somebody found some horizon blue, then I'd imagine it would get used for what ever. As long as the base coat is green, which appears to be, I don't see a problem with the blue.
However, there are some things I wonder about... First, the camo scheme seems to be 'working too hard' to be authentic. In other words, the variation in hue in the red as if it was underpainted with a yellow ocre, then painted over to give it depth looks odd. Also, the black border that doesn't follow the underlying patches of color. What? Couldn't this German follow a line? Was he working in the dark? On one hand,he has the artistic ability to create an interesting color by layering, but can't follow the outlines? It just seems a bit 'forced' to me. However, it may be 100% original, hard to tell without looking closely.

As to it being a member here, I really don't know.

Ron

 

[poniatowski]

I thought about paint oxidizing last night, so wondered if that would account for some of the discoloration I was talking about. After studying the photos again, I still have a lot of questions about the painting on this one. It still seems contrived to me... It bothers me for some reason I can't really put my finger on and for me that's not good. However, as I stated, I could be 100% wrong.

Ron

 

[RON]

Gents, how about this one?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/370548759065" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[poniatowski]

Looks good to me.

Ron

 

[RON]

Here's one which also happens to be a Square Dip...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/M16-WW1-German-Camo-Square-Dip-/120796512257" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;