Jump to content

WWI USMC Painted Helmets with EGAs


teufelhunde.ret
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hi everyone. I'm completely new to this and was hoping to ask questions about who to contact for a 2/6 helmet with the unit painted on. I served with 2/6 and would love to collect such an item. Thanks for any help!

 

Marc

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Marc, welcome to this field of military collecting. I think WWI USMC helmets are fascinating. Like everything related to military collecting today, you need to study this area before you buy. This thread is a great place to start. My avatar you may notice is the very helmet you are interested in. You will find 2/6 helmets are most often painted a shade of brown that is rather distinctive. No one knows why. Study the artwork carefully. Especially with this unit, you will see often a similarity suggesting the same artist painted numerous helmets for this battalion. Finally, be prepared as this is not a cheap field of collecting. A nice 2/6 helmet today will likely run you $1500.00, give or take some depending upon condition, artwork, etc. These helmets are becoming scarce, with collectors keeping original helmets in their collection. I see maybe a half dozen real WWI painted helmets come to market a year, and that is across all units. You will want to watch dealers sites and auctions closely, know what you are looking at and be ready to strike when the rare opportunity presents itself. Good luck, and thanks for your service. Kevin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for a quick reply and the advice/info, Kevin. It is much appreciated and I will surely do my research. If some one were to decide to sell one from their collection, I hope my name is thought of! :) But you all are awesome. I've enjoyed the pictures and knowledge, and appreciate the passion you all have for this. Semper Fi to my fellow Marines!

 

Marc

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 2 weeks later...

I must say, those 2/6 helmets are unbelievable. Being a former 2/6 Marine, I would love to get my hands on one! If anyone can help me with this endeavor I would be incredibly grateful.

 

Marc

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I must say, those 2/6 helmets are unbelievable. Being a former 2/6 Marine, I would love to get my hands on one! If anyone can help me with this endeavor I would be incredibly grateful.

 

Marc

When were you with 2/6?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

I have been asked several times to post some of my USMC Battalion painted helmets here on the forum. There is some reluctance on my part because these helmets always tend to be picked apart by the experts. For the most part, these helmets came with Id'ed uniform groups with some pretty heavy provenance. I have had my share of getting burned on painted helmets in the past and will probably get burned again in the future. Some of you have seen some of my Camo/Divisional/Trench Arted helmets that I have sold over the E-Bay venue for the past few years. I sold over two hundred of these great helmets. I feel pretty confident about how these helmets should look, feel and smell like at this point.

 

While I'm truly a novice in the Marine Corps collecting field, I have been fortunate to have seen a lot of artifacts that came directly from the veterans themselves or thier families. Some of those I now own. Others I have gotten from very knowledgeable collectors (right Mike?) that one can trust. All of the following helmets can be traced almost to the source (the vet). Any critique or criticisms are certainly welcome. I hope you enjoy tis post!!

 

Dennis Jackson

 

attachicon.gif1a__25_.JPG

 

Hi Dennis. I've seen many of your posts about USMC WWI helmets, and they have been very informative and helpful. Seeing as you, and many others on this community forum, are a lot more experienced and knowledgable than myself about this subject, I was hoping you and the others may be able to assist me?

 

I found this helmet at an auction and am thinking about perhaps putting a bid in on it. Unfortunately, these are the only pictures of the helmet, and were provided by the auction company. The helmet is a bit perplexing, as it does appear to have the correct time period 1914-1922 USMC field cap and hat ornament mounted, but the shape and colored background does not match the USMC units with the Army's 2nd Division. The painted background appears to be a yellow horizontal oval, which would (according to my research) indicate the US Army's 2nd Battalion of the 23rd Regiment - whose background was a yellow circle. The 4th Marine Brigade did have horizontal oval backgrounds, however those appear to only have been in black (for Brigade HQ) and purple (for the 6th Machine Gun Battalion).

Is this a US Army 2nd Battalion, 23rd Regiment, 2nd Division helmet with a WWI USMC field cap/hat ornament mounted to it. Or has the original paint oxidized into another color (yellow)? What do you think? I would really appreciate any feedback or information anyone may have with this curious mystery. Thank you very much. Semper Fi.

-Preston

post-163082-0-22954900-1486693174_thumb.jpg

post-163082-0-09729500-1486693183_thumb.jpg

post-163082-0-70594100-1486693191_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...
French Sam

Hi,

 

I just pick up this helmet...

 

I'm looking for information on the history of this helmet... :)

If someone has information... that interests me !

 

Thanks !

 

FS

post-153536-0-74850300-1494406104.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Loic, check out the helmet depicted on page 301 of Equipping the Corps by Tilkoff. No doubt the same artist that painted yours. Same eagle, same lettering, etc. Middle helmet on oage 298 same thing, not the same style lettering, but looks to be the same hand on the ega. As we discussed last night, I have one as well with the same style eagle no doubt same artist, see post 272 page 11 of this thread. Because mine is named to a Marine who was wounded in September 1918 and sent back to the states, I have always believed it was painted in France before he left. Conjecture, but the same artist suggests to me these were probably done in France as opposed to various Marine Corps leagues or VFW posts after the war. On the boat ride home, they were no doubt painting the ovals, diamonds and squares. I have also noticed the ones like yours all prominently say "France" or depict the French flag, another clue to me they were likely done "Over There". Kevin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

French Sam

Hi Kevin,

Thanks, it's very interesting !..

My helmet have no name :blush: I agree with you the helmets were probably done in France.

I'd like to know who owned it before... I bought it from a professional auction... And He didn't answer my questions...

Thank you very much !

 

Loïc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's where I saw it! I couldn't place it and was thinking DJ's collection also but definitely saw it when it was on Gottliebs site. Nice helmet. Kevin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

French Sam

I don't think so. Craig Gottlieb has had this one for sale for years. I think Dennis did have a couple which seemed to be painted by the same person.

 

http://www.craiggottlieb.com/engine/inspect.asp?Item=4319&Filter=United+States

 

Hi,

 

Yes, I bought it at Craig Gottlieb auction... I was watching this helmet for a long time but the price was too expensive...

It was not sold and they decided to put it up for auctioin...

I remember seeing this helmet before but I don't remember where...

 

Thanks !

 

Loïc

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Eric Queen

Glad to hear you got it at a better price Loïc. His original price was a bit over the top in my opinion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

French Sam

Glad to hear you got it at a better price Loïc. His original price was a bit over the top in my opinion.

 

Hello Eric,

 

Months ago (when I saw the asking price) I asked Graig Gottlieb if he was ready to negociate... but nothing...

Few weeks ago the helmet was for sale in auction and I won it at a better better price...

Today I would like to know the history of this helmet !

Thanks !

 

Loïc.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

C. Roelens

Glad to hear you got it at a better price Loïc. His original price was a bit over the top in my opinion.

That's an understatement...

 

Chuck

Link to comment
Share on other sites

C. Roelens

 

Hello Eric,

 

Months ago (when I saw the asking price) I asked Graig Gottlieb if he was ready to negociate... but nothing...

Few weeks ago the helmet was for sale in auction and I won it at a better better price...

Today I would like to know the history of this helmet !

Thanks !

 

Loïc.

 

Nice helmet Loic. Sorry, can't help you with the history.

 

Chuck

Link to comment
Share on other sites

French Sam

Nice helmet Loic. Sorry, can't help you with the history.

 

Chuck

 

Thanks Chuck ! ;)

 

Loïc.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Sorry Bill, this 2/5 helmet was post war painted, just as Ray advertised on his ebay auction. The paint and hole for EGA are fresh. I inspected this helmet in hand for Ray, and returned it to him to sell as a reproduction. I also forwarded pictures to E.Q., who confirmed my assessment.

 

Chuck

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...