Real Nappa leather flying helmet....what the heck do I have ??

[skinsfan]

Ok,so I get different results online everywhere I look...from German WW2, Russian to British....It seems the "real nappa " is not the maker but a leather tannery??....Some say the English writing meands it must be U.S or UK...The liner looks to be Soviet to me...Does anyone know for sure and info on this beauty....it is very well made....I saw one guy had for sale a pair of ww2 German officers gloves with the Elk Button..no provisions for headsets so I am leaning early??...scratching my head here....Thanks folks

[unclegrumpy]

I think given the snaps, it is US made.  It is a somewhat generic style popular around WW I and through the 1920's.  

 

It could have been used by a military pilot...they often purchased commercially made items.  Or a commercial pilot.  Or a motorcyclist.  

 

Any of those are possibilities.  The snaps are probably a clue...maybe associated with a particular maker.  

[skinsfan]

someone had said that it was just a certain style of leather ..wish it at least had a date to go by!

[The Rooster]

51 minutes ago, skinsfan said:

someone had said that it was just a certain style of leather ..wish it at least had a date to go by!

From what I read, its a WW2 helmet German and Real Nappa is a style/type of leather.

Maybe the Elks head in the center of the button, is a clue to the maker?

 

AI Overview

These "Real Nappa" celluloid push buttons with a raised elk's head were standard on German Luftwaffe leather flight gear (helmets, jackets, holsters) during the 1940s, manufactured in Nazi Germany

. They are vintage WWII military items often found on collectible flight gear, rather than a single branded consumer product. 

Key Details:

Purpose: Standard outfit for German Luftwaffe pilots, used on leather goods.

Material: Celluloid/early plastic.

Design: Marked "REAL NAPPA" with a raised elk/stag head in the center.

Era: 1940s (WWII).

Size: Approximately 0.6" () in diameter. 

While many German button companies existed at the time (such as those in Lüdenscheid), these specific military-marked items are often identified as WWII-era German military issue, sold by collectors on sites like eBay. 

Not USA.

[unclegrumpy]

Maybe what you found is correct, but Nappa leather is a type of leather that originated in Napa California.  

[dmar836]

You might put it on the sister site if you are a member there. They might ID it or at least confirm the buttons. AI responses draw info from all mentions of a name including unknowledgeable sources so...  Clearly this is not WWII era.

JMO,

Dave

[skinsfan]

so you think earlier???

[unclegrumpy]

12 hours ago, skinsfan said:

so you think earlier???

 

Yes, 1920's to early 1930's

 

I looked, and I see where the German connection comes from.  Maybe it is European made...it could well be.

 

Whether it is or isn't, I don't think particularly matters.  It is commercial/civilian not specfically military.  

 

Could a military pilot in the 20's or 30's purchase and wear a helmet like this?  

 

Sure, many pilots wore private purchase gear.  But so did motorcyclists and people that drove open top cars.  

 

I did see a mention of a Battle of Britain era Luftwaffe connection in a seller's post online, but that seems rather fanciful to me.  

 

I think it the end point is it is a nice inter war period civilian flight helmet.  

[dmar836]

On 3/8/2026 at 10:56 AM, unclegrumpy said:

 

Yes, 1920's to early 1930's

...I think it the end point is it is a nice inter war period civilian flight helmet.  

 

Agree with Unclgrumpy.

I hate being so hard on AI info as AI certainly is here to stay and can do some incredible things. When it comes to "understanding" other info it nets online it is seldom reliable - often quoting such "fanciful" statements which have not only zero vetting but are often downright fabrications. 

Plenty of well-established, detailed info which is now ignored for anything more modern. New collectors want rapid-fire instagram pics info over vetted books.  

Rant over,

Dave

[manayunkman]

I’ve never seen a Luftwaffe flying helmet with raised elk buttons. 

[The Rooster]

ai is hit or miss. Its all over the place..

Now its pointing towards Canadian, which is more likely than Luftwaffe.

Whatever it is... Its not U.S. Issue military, I think thats safe to say?

 

AI Overview

Based on your description, this likely refers to a leather product, such as a wallet or purse, produced by a brand specializing in

Western-style or Canadian/American outdoor goods. 

Here are the details matching that description:

The Embossed Elk: This is often a stylistic, stamped, or embossed logo on the exterior of the wallet or purse, symbolizing the "Wild Elk" or Canadian-inspired brand.

"Real Nappa" on the Snaps: Nappa is a type of soft, full-grain leather, and having this marked on the hardware (snaps) indicates it is a genuine leather product, often using high-quality hide that is soft and pliable.

Likely Brand - Ferree Wild Elk: A specific brand that produces wallets with an "embossed elk head logo" on the corner and uses secure, sometimes branded, snap closures. Other brands like London Alley or generic "Deer" or "Elk" branded leather goods (often sold on Amazon or eBay) may also feature this design. 

[manayunkman]

After looking it over I think this is a modern era commercial piece.

 

The faux distressing is a giveaway.

[dmar836]

Unless the pics are deceiving me it looks like it has a bit of "red rot". That's not something too easy to replicate that I know of but who knows.

Dave

[The Rooster]

6 hours ago, manayunkman said:

After looking it over I think this is a modern era commercial piece.

 

The faux distressing is a giveaway.

Great point! I didn't notice it until you mentioned it, but

It does seem strange that the leather flaps that hold the snaps etc.. are relatively

in good shape while the leather around them is all torn up... ?

I'd think those straps would be just as deteriorated or more so

than the the rest?

[unclegrumpy]

6 hours ago, manayunkman said:

After looking it over I think this is a modern era commercial piece.

 

The faux distressing is a giveaway.

 

You guys could be right, but this type of leather was originally soft...and likely did not originally have a finish on it.  100 years ago, elk or deer hide was often used.  If along the way, someone oiled or added some sort of finish or dressing, you could easily end up with wear and rot like we are seeing.  

 

I think if we were examining this in hand, the age would be easier to judge.  That said, I am not sure why someone would go to the trouble of aging something like this to this degree.