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Post Your WWII M-1 Helmet Acquired Direct From The Vet Or Family.


dmar836
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Conversing with Alec about collecting authentic painted lids, We thought it might make for a good thread. By now you all understand my conservative views on collecting so lets keep it as pure as they get.

Please post pics of ONLY direct - vet received or otherwise actual confirmed painted M1 helmets - NOT those just researched, X-rayed, lead-tested, uncovered, or restored.

We all have named helmets/items to which contemporary research has confirmed ownership and service but lets show painted M1s NOT bought from other collectors or dealers and not just later "proven" to be real.

These are indeed rare so please don't feel obligated to contribute. I cannot.

Dave

 

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Pretty strict standards, but here's another. This helmet liner belonged to Second Lieutenant Robert J. Alexander, serial number O-15577243. Attached is a wartime photograph of Alexander at the Passo del Brennero (Italy-Austria border), showing him holding this same helmet liner (note the Lt.'s stripe on the front). More can be found regarding his extensive service here: https://www.circa1941.com/product-page/early-wwii-second-lieutenant-s-inland-m1-helmet-liner-id-d.

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Dave thanks for posting this discussion. I'm excited to see what shows up.

 

Dave awesome helmet, love the background information on him (impressive!) and Grant, excellent liner. Awesome that there are pics to go along with it. Thanks for sharing. 

 

- Alec

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i have several painted lids, but ya drive a hard bargain there. last picture, Col., at the time, Kelleher pictured center shaking hands, wearing this same liner before it was painted over in an awards presentation ceremony in San Luis Obispo. The award on his chest looks to be the first out of his two, second being earned in Korea, Legion of Merit medals

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Thanks guys,

Yeah, I'm hoping for a resource thread not polluted with our ubiquitous assumed originals - though that's what most are(likely authentic but could have been altered in the hands of others).

I don't want it to appear that I collect only from the hand of vets - not true at all. I do, however, want all of my items to be as they were found even if without insignia -nothing added. I own no knowingly restored uniforms. Certainly no "tribute" uniforms in my collection. I'm sure some may have been altered but that's my intent and certainly nothing from me will ever be altered or "restored". This, I've already been told, is unrealistic and "lame". I didn't think my mentality was so rare in collecting militaria as it was the standard when I started. 

I understand a helmet "from the hand of the vet" or other direct provenance is very unlikely but hopefully this thread will stay with known authentic helmets and not our "favorite finds".

Dave

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Lt. Col Enoch J. Scalan

35th Division 

134th Infantry Regiment 1st Batt. HQ

XII Corps Provost Marshall 

This was attained direct from the family. 

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So, let's add source to the descriptions. Guys, were these dealer bought, collector bought, family purchased? I'd love to see documents not found by later research. Nothing wrong with those but if these are researched simply by name, it's like any other helmet thread. There are many researched to a vet but with paint we cannot say for sure wasn't later added.

Was hoping for provenance to be shared and not that it was later proven to a vet with no first-hand proof of the paint.

I'm not criticizing these helmets. I know it's a tough request but...

 

Dave

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not to come off sideways, but the way you describe it, you would legitimately need a photo of the occurrence of bill of sale with the vet physically passing the helmet over to the owner, in its current state. no helmet in this thread by that logic could be proven to those standards otherwise

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I think it would be helpful if when a helmet is posted that the person includes the story of how they received it whether direct from the vet, through the family, an estate sale from the vets trunk, etc.

- Alec

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk



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i have several painted lids, but ya drive a hard bargain there. last picture, Col., at the time, Kelleher pictured center shaking hands, wearing this same liner before it was painted over in an awards presentation ceremony in San Luis Obispo. The award on his chest looks to be the first out of his two, second being earned in Korea, Legion of Merit medals
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Beautiful helmet, how did you come across it? And which book is that shown in?

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

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4 minutes ago, fight said:

Beautiful helmet, how did you come across it? And which book is that shown in?

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk
 

happened by chance that Steve of M1 Helmet Depot had it. Made a rather large deal on it. It is presented in Helmets of the ETO by Giard and Blais

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3 hours ago, shadawg said:

not to come off sideways, but the way you describe it, you would legitimately need a photo of the occurrence of bill of sale with the vet physically passing the helmet over to the owner, in its current state. no helmet in this thread by that logic could be proven to those standards otherwise

 

I get it. I knew it would be a limited population but that’s why I tried to be overly clear in the beginning. Wasn’t planning on a huge thread from it.

They are out there. They are rare. 

 

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This helmet was worn by FX79320 Sub Lt William Owen Gascoigne who was a Wildcat Pilot aboard the lend lease Carrier HMS Searcher. Being a lend lease ship the crew were completely kitted out with American Gear. The helmet was worn while Gascoigne was on flight deck duty and watch. 
The helmet was acquired directly from the veterans son who had planned to donate it to the Fleet Air Arm museum.  

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Wish I had some WW2 ones that fit the criteria, but I have plenty from post ww2 since they are a bit easier to find directly from the vet/family.

 

Russ

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Louis G. Castellaneta’s helmet 

 

camo painted and named

 

Was with the 1st marine Division on Okinawa - Direct link with the daughter and son In law 

 

Fun note on this one, Louis was Dan castellanatos dad, Dan does the voice of Homer Simpson. 

This is a fantastic read 

https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/oak-park/chi-sp-louis-castellaneta-father-of-homer-simpson-voiceactor-dead-at-99-20141218-story.html

 

- Dean 

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Airborne guy, Please include the source of your helmets. Might read the original post and follow-ups. 

Trying to keep this particular thread limited to painted M1s with unbroken provenance and not dealer or open market acquisitions.

A picky thread for sure.

Dave

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Burning Hazard

Not sure if it counts but I have one "direct vet" helmet from eBay that the seller claims was the wearer during the Korean War. I have no solid proof, I tried asking him more questions but just got a "I'm so happy that someone will take care of my helmet as I'm a senior".

 

Pat

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Bugme has graciously helped by changing the title of the thread to a less confusing one. I'm not the best communicator so I will let the thread play out as the community thinks is most helpful.

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Can a mod clean out the helmets posted that don't have provenance posted? I really like the idea of this thread for only helmets with absolute rock solid provenance. Seems like a couple people either don't understand the rules for posting, or aren't exactly clear on the criteria for this thread so I'll try to reiterate and make it more clear.

 

The thread only wants painted helmets with rock solid provenance. This means that you received the helmet directly from the vet, vet's family, or otherwise proven to be absolutely real without any ounce of uncertainty. 

 

Let's make this a good reference thread to study real examples of painted helmets, for those that remember jkash or any of the other helmet fiascos over the past couple years you know how it is possible and probable that this forum gets duped on many of occasions. So having a reference thread with only rock solid real helmets to study will help us when it comes to authenticating future helmets. 

 

Like many of you, I don't have anything to post that fits the criteria either. 

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