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WWI USMC Painted Helmets with EGAs


teufelhunde.ret
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  • 2 months later...

Here’s a helmet I have a chance to buy from a friend of mine . The  helmet paint looks period but leery of camouflaged helmets. Any comments or opinions appreciated.

Thanks 

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Well since you are asking, and hopefully before you have bought it…..it is NOT a Marine Corps helmet. Since it was posted in this thread, I am assuming that is what it is being offered as. I cant remember the unit and my reference materials are in storage but just want to make sure you know this is painted up for one of the Army units not Marine. The lighting makes it tough for me at least to comment further about originality. Good close up outdoor photos would be better. It might be alright, although I am not a big fan of the “style” of Indianhead here. 

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Helmet came out of a local antique store 3-4  months ago. It was in a case behind glass and the tag was hard to read. It stated 5th(or 6th Regt USMC) but as it was lacking an EGA I took it for a 2nd Div. helmet. I am experienced and confident with WWI painted helmets but I have no specific knowledge or experience with WWI 2nd Div/USMC helmets other than to know they have been faked for some time. That formula (over confidence + lack of specific knowledge/experience=disaster) led me to pass on the piece. I didnt even ask to have taken out of the case. I just passed on it. It wasnt priced high at all but not a risk i was in the mood to take at the time.

I would classify the dealer at that booth as a picker who gets a mixed bag of militaria (all era's) from time to time. Usually decent stuff but common.

I cant advise if it is good or bad, but personally would like to hear others chime in.

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Lots of original USMC painted helmets to the fifth and sixth Marines don't have an ega mounted on them and that is perfectly correct. Yardlong unit photos from the period show that some entire Battalions wore helmets painted but void of an ega. It is the narrow red rectangle and not a square that defines this one as Army and not USMC. I would not have bought it either just looking at it through the case with this lighting. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'll just throw this out there... if anyone ever has/knows of a nice 1/6 painted helmet for sale, please hit me up. I've got a buddy who retired last year and it's the one historical artifact he wants

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