ww1 US Cammo Helmet

[The Rooster]

Greetings all.

Ive read that most of these were painted after the armistice in France or on the ship home. But some were worn during the fighting even if not many. But some studying I did on the forum tonight states that some, perhaps very few were painted and worn during combat. That being said, this helmet has no provenance, no liner or chin strap. But its got what I believe to be a real nice painted cammo job that dates back to the war. Its not a Brodie as evidenced by the chin swivel rivets.

 

Thoughts on this please.....?

 

Thank you.

 

[The Rooster]

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[The Rooster]

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[The Rooster]

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[The Rooster]

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[The Rooster]

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[The Rooster]

Anyone?Thoughts on the paint. Cammo pattern? Age of paint?

Anyone have experience that could give me an opinion on this?

 

Thank you.

[kammo-man]

Obviously waiting for Bugme to add his thoughts.

 

I am just getting into this subject so open to learn.

 

owen

[thorin6]

I have a hard time believing that this type of camouflage was used during the war, and after looking at numerous pictures and on-line, I haven't seen anything that leads me to believe they saw combat. Some may have been painted during the War, but in order to do that, you must have paint. Such paints would have been in short supply just about everywhere, let alone near the front lines, as would have been time. Doesn't mean that some helmets weren't camouflaged, but most of the helmets I've seen painted like this were copies of the German's M16s and M17s done at the end of the War, with the dark lines separating the different geometric patterns. This helmet has some places where there are dark lines, and some places where there aren't, and the geometric patterns vary somewhat from the Germans. Here is a picture of an M17 with the dark lines separating the patterns. You can see the similarities and the differences.

That being said, I am always open to being educated.

[The Rooster]

Thank you. I am not saying it was combat used… All the reading I did indicates it was prob painted after the armistice. I

have no way of ever really knowing of course. As far as the color fields being delineated by black lines… This Helmet

does contain that very same pattern you are referring to. Please look again at post #4 and post 6.

Really the black lines merge in to the black shape on the from thereby not being able to see black lines on black.

And the photos not being lit the best… I cant really tell whats going on the back unless its another big black shape?

 

You will see the colors separated by the black solid line. Its faded so somewhat hard to notice but it is there.

Im wondering from you experts if this looks like hundred year old paint?

What is the consensus? This does not look like the typical repros Ive seen out there.

I would say that it varying from the Germans style is not really relevant.

In my opinion. But I cant say thats a fact? I really don't know much about these….

It was the style of cammo and the apparent age of the paint that dew me to it. That and no watchers and no other bidders.

I found it once then had a hard time finding it again.

It was listed in such a way that it did not turn up in a search for ww1 us helmets.

I think Its genuine from the war era. Not saying used in combat.. no way to tell.

Really no way to verify anything about it.. Thats why Im turning to the experts here on the forum for their learned opinions.

 

Thank you.

[Bugme]

Not used in combat. Some, and that is a small some, were painted right around the time of the Armistice. After that they were painted in France as they waited at ports to head home, on ships, at ports where the arrived home and then by the hand of a good many artists all over the U.S. as these young veterans painted them up for the big VFW parades that were the big thing for years after the war. Incised helmets are, to me, the only ones that were done during wartime and are considered true trench art. Hope this helps. By the way, nice helmet, not a fake.

[The Rooster]

Not used in combat. Some, and that is a small some, were painted right around the time of the Armistice. After that they were painted in France as they waited at ports to head home, on ships, at ports where the arrived home and then by the hand of a good many artists all over the U.S. as these young veterans painted them up for the big VFW parades that were the big thing for years after the war. Incised helmets are, to me, the only ones that were done during wartime and are considered true trench art. Hope this helps. By the way, nice helmet, not a fake.

 

Thank you. Thats what I was getting at. The age and the style looked like the real deal.

Thats what I was worried about.. Even though it looked old enough meaning the paint.my eyes were telling me that

it would be hard to fake the aging on it.

 

Thank you for the confirmation thats its not a repro!!!

I appreciate that!

 

By incised you mean ?

 

Thank you.

[Bugme]

...By incised you mean ?

 

Sorry, "incised" is the technical term, it just sounds better than scratched or carved art.

[Bugme]

Some examples. BTW. These are really tough to photograph.

[matthewsq]

Paint looks pretty old to me - I think you have a nice camo job done by the soldier while waiting to come home. What else do bored young men do?

 

Love the helmet!