elh1311 Posted October 13, 2020 Share #1 Posted October 13, 2020 Someone is gonna taken for a ride... https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/91439421_paratrooper-s-helmet-from-101st-airborne-division Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elh1311 Posted October 13, 2020 Author Share #2 Posted October 13, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmar836 Posted October 13, 2020 Share #3 Posted October 13, 2020 Not the best angle but sure doesn't look like the right shape where it's welded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elh1311 Posted October 15, 2020 Author Share #4 Posted October 15, 2020 On 10/13/2020 at 1:24 PM, dmar836 said: Not the best angle but sure doesn't look like the right shape where it's welded. If you follow the link, you can get a better look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken88 Posted October 16, 2020 Share #5 Posted October 16, 2020 The Inland liner could actually be ok from what's visible in the pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elh1311 Posted October 16, 2020 Author Share #6 Posted October 16, 2020 10 hours ago, ken88 said: The Inland liner could actually be ok from what's visible in the pics. Maybe I missed it but I didn't see anywhere in the listing that this liner was an Inland. The whole set up looks like an aged At The Front or J Murray rig. No disrespect to either entity, they both make quality reproductions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted October 17, 2020 Share #7 Posted October 17, 2020 18 hours ago, ken88 said: The Inland liner could actually be ok from what's visible in the pics. I agree, looks like a nice original Inland liner. More shots of the chinstraps would he helpful, they look OK too, they lot number could tell us a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickman983 Posted October 17, 2020 Share #8 Posted October 17, 2020 3 hours ago, Justin said: the lot number could tell us a lot. Lot number is 325D according to the description of the auction Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elh1311 Posted October 17, 2020 Author Share #9 Posted October 17, 2020 12 hours ago, Nickman983 said: Lot number is 325D according to the description of the auction And I understand that to be outside the known M2 range, which doesn't go past 250 if I remember correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elh1311 Posted October 17, 2020 Author Share #10 Posted October 17, 2020 16 hours ago, Justin said: I agree, looks like a nice original Inland liner. More shots of the chinstraps would he helpful, they look OK too, they lot number could tell us a lot. I asked the seller for better pictures of the bales and for pictures of the manufacturer stamp in the liner. My concern is that the liner is made to look like an Inland but isn't a genuine one. I'm thinking it will Westinghouse or Firestone. Guess we'll see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burning Hazard Posted October 17, 2020 Share #11 Posted October 17, 2020 This one could be a good one. However, the painted hearts and D-bail feet would require better inspection. Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elh1311 Posted October 17, 2020 Author Share #12 Posted October 17, 2020 1 hour ago, Burning Hazard said: This one could be a good one. However, the painted hearts and D-bail feet would require better inspection. Pat I asked the seller for more pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted October 18, 2020 Share #13 Posted October 18, 2020 13 hours ago, elh1311 said: I'm thinking it will Westinghouse or Firestone How can you tell? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elh1311 Posted October 18, 2020 Author Share #14 Posted October 18, 2020 9 hours ago, Justin said: How can you tell? Doesn't say it's an Inland in the listing most of the repro liners seem to be Firestone or Westinghouse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted October 18, 2020 Share #15 Posted October 18, 2020 The seller is a professional Militaria dealer. They know exactly how to describe and photograph this helmet but they have left out the most important information and have not taken pictures of the most important parts. To me that seems suspicious especially when you’re on dealing with a potential $10,000 to $15,000 sale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted October 18, 2020 Share #16 Posted October 18, 2020 Are the bails even in the right spot? The one bail looks like its incorrectly placed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elh1311 Posted October 18, 2020 Author Share #17 Posted October 18, 2020 6 minutes ago, manayunkman said: Are the bails even in the right spot? The one bail looks like its incorrectly placed. If you look at the pictures of the helmet both with and without the liner, you can tell that bails are off. The one on the right side of the picture has significant offset in comparison to the other one. I know of two other legit M2s for sale, not nearly in this good of condition, that are starting at $7,000 for the roughest of the two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elh1311 Posted October 18, 2020 Author Share #18 Posted October 18, 2020 6 minutes ago, manayunkman said: Are the bails even in the right spot? The one bail looks like its incorrectly placed. If you look at the pictures of the helmet both with and without the liner, you can tell that bails are off. The one on the right side of the picture has significant offset in comparison to the other one. I know of two other legit M2s for sale, not nearly in this good of condition, that are starting at $7,000 for the roughest of the two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Kibler Posted October 18, 2020 Share #19 Posted October 18, 2020 From the photos on the site, I would not want to own it. Certainly looks too much like the flood of fakes that ravaged the US in the 90's & early 2000's. As stated, a high caliber helmet (if this were real) would only take a phone call to sell. If listed on a site, HIGH QUALITY PHOTOS of all the right spots would be included, with no guess work needed. IMHO, this is junk made to deceive and rolled away on an auction site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elh1311 Posted October 18, 2020 Author Share #20 Posted October 18, 2020 1 hour ago, Tom Kibler said: From the photos on the site, I would not want to own it. Certainly looks too much like the flood of fakes that ravaged the US in the 90's & early 2000's. As stated, a high caliber helmet (if this were real) would only take a phone call to sell. If listed on a site, HIGH QUALITY PHOTOS of all the right spots would be included, with no guess work needed. IMHO, this is junk made to deceive and rolled away on an auction site. Yep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burning Hazard Posted October 18, 2020 Share #21 Posted October 18, 2020 5 hours ago, manayunkman said: The seller is a professional Militaria dealer. They know exactly how to describe and photograph this helmet but they have left out the most important information and have not taken pictures of the most important parts. To me that seems suspicious especially when you’re on dealing with a potential $10,000 to $15,000 sale. Are they on USMF? Would be good to see some additional pictures. It does seem odd to not include those photos for such a big item... Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted October 18, 2020 Share #22 Posted October 18, 2020 3 minutes ago, Burning Hazard said: Are they on USMF? Would be good to see some additional pictures. It does seem odd to not include those photos for such a big item... Pat Pat, I don’t really know who they are other than the fact that they are a dealer auctioneer and have been around for a while. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArchangelDM Posted October 19, 2020 Share #23 Posted October 19, 2020 Those chinstraps are minty for a painted jump helmet. 🤔 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugme Posted October 19, 2020 Share #24 Posted October 19, 2020 On 10/17/2020 at 1:05 PM, elh1311 said: And I understand that to be outside the known M2 range, which doesn't go past 250 if I remember correctly. Correct, the current database of known M-2 helmets does not exceed 250. However, one legitimate M-2 showed up a few years back with the number 660. Bear in mind that this database began in 2011. It has been a slow build gathering these numbers from collectors with detailed photos and multiple verifications. When we reached the number of 235B we thought it could go no higher until the 660 showed up at the SOS in 2018 and was verified by multiple A/B collectors who were there and held it in hand, as spot on legitimate. So, the database is not science, only a help and is still under construction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elh1311 Posted October 19, 2020 Author Share #25 Posted October 19, 2020 4 hours ago, Bugme said: Correct, the current database of known M-2 helmets does not exceed 250. However, one legitimate M-2 showed up a few years back with the number 660. Bear in mind that this database began in 2011. It has been a slow build gathering these numbers from collectors with detailed photos and multiple verifications. When we reached the number of 235B we thought it could go no higher until the 660 showed up at the SOS in 2018 and was verified by multiple A/B collectors who were there and held it in hand, as spot on legitimate. So, the database is not science, only a help and is still under construction. I have updated pics from the seller. It is now outside of my range of expertise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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