Sun Helmet to Avoid

Peter_Suciu

Peter_Suciu

Well-known member
Here is a sun helmet that is just plain bad:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Prussian-Tropical-Sun-Helmet_W0QQitemZ220351086269QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20090126?IMSfp=TL090126157003r34447

It is an American sun helmet with a badge and cockade added. The ultimate parts helmet! :x
 
Just curious if any of the board contributors email these people selling fakes/misrepresentations to inform them of the facts on the off-chance they are simply ignorant ?

Eric
 
I did contact the seller of this sun helmet, and I told him that I felt the helmet was an American helmet with German parts added. It has been a few days and no responses.

In the past I have heard from other sellers, and sometimes I've had people pull auctions. I feel bad about this example, because it is a plain, nice American helmet that looks to be in decent shape... and it has been ruined by the addition of these parts. The plate added holes that don't need to be in the cork.
 
Hi Peter,

While I was just now looking at this article on eBay after reading your warning to all of us forum members, the seller pulled the plug on his auction, re-listed it and revised the description to counter what you'd apparently written to him about with your concerns regarding this helmet.

Thanks,

Alan
 
His comments:
Prussian Tropical Sun Helmet .

Prussian Sun helmet, Sorry, but it is an original. I bought it in Osnabruck North Germany in1963 from the widow of a man who served in the Imperial German Colonial Army in East Africa in the first Great War. The piece of newspaper dated 1915 is from what I believe to be a Paderborn news paper . This city is also located in North Germany . This is a very fine item for its age, The American and German sun helmets are of very similar construction

, the colour of the German helmet is a darker brown while the American is an off white. It is entirely possible that they where made under contract by the same company that had facilities in America and Germany as the American helmet was made by The WM, HORSTMANN Co. There are no internal markings in the German Helmet.

But it is still not a German helmet. The Americans did have a khaki helmet this color, and it is a four panel helmet. The Germans didn't have four panel helmets... and more telling, so what that there is a newspaper dated 1915. The Germans couldn't have sent colonial forces to Africa in 1915 could they!
 
Hi Peter,

Thanks! I don't know anything about either the German or American sun helmets, and simply wanted to know more about them from you. I wasn't doubting your call on the helmet, I just wanted to know some more about them. Thanks for your info, I appreciate it. Apparently the guy is simply trying to scam someone.

All The Best,

Alan
 
I have 2 examples of that American helmet in the same color brown. One with a New York State plate and the other infantry. Peter has a book coming out on pith helmets which should be a great resource. The guy on ebay needs to order one. :lol:
 
Same seller has a few other dubious items. So I think this could be someone who was an eBay regular, and had another account shut down.

That's my two cents.
 
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