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(NB. In down-sizing the pics their quality was downgraded a little...so apologies for that) :pinch:
Both helmets came from the same batch...a sealed crate of WW2 production helmets found at a National Guard armory and which were released for sale to collectors in the late 80s. Both have been in my possession since then. (I won't say how much I paid for them as I don't want to upset you!
)They are in mint condition...I still have the cardboard packaging. There are a few superficial scuffs and other marks from years of storage and some marks on the headband of one caused by son trying it on when he was a kid! :pinch: Other than that, they are just as they left the factory.
Both are front seam, swivel loop McCords (oval spot-welds on rim) One has OD#3 webstraps, the other, green OD#7 webstraps. The hardware is of brass treated with an inhibitor. The liners are both Westinghouses, but with subtle differences. One has unpainted zinc "A" washers, the other liner's are anodized. One has the neck-strap webbing with its ends tucked under (early '42), the other has the raw unfinished edge (late '42 >) The sweatbands and nape-straps are by different manufacturers, as you'd expect. Crocodile clips are OD. The leather chinstraps also have subtle differences. The suspension webbing is a fairly consistent 0D#3 triple weave HBT.
Although ostensibly "mint", there are subtle signs of age here and there... mainly light oxidization on some of the metal parts and a little verdigris around the chinstrap rivets and light crazing of the leather, in places. These tell-tale signs will hopefully enable collectors to tell original from re-furbished.
