You better stay away from this guy !!! - He has sold very rare and very suspect WW1 divisional helmets such as 29th Div, 92nd Div. 93rd Div. and WW1 USMC trench art canteens and other USMC trench-arted material. He also has sold those Marine collar discs that have been acid dipped to produce the aged and vertigras , oxidized appearing insignia. ALL his work is similar. I would have NEVER picked it up until I purchased an Id'ed "Bloody Hand" painted helmet from a WW1 Negro division and then about a year later I purchased an Id'ed 29th Div. helmet that were identified under the rim IN THE SAME STYLE WRITING and in THE SAME COLOR. both came from fairly knowledgeable dealers (different) in the Northeast. He aslo nailed a buyer on E-bay on another Black Regiment IDENTIFIED Adrian helmet with the same style scripted writing !!!------------ $1300.00 for a $100.00 helmet. -----Recently sold a trench arted USMC canteen with a Oxidized button on the lid for BIG bucks. - Does not offer returns - All sales final!! - Current Auction is E-bay no. 300242576072, under E-bay name Captainscarlet47. Qoute from current listing:

 

AN AUCTION FOR AN ORIGINAL RARE DOUGHBOY WWI US ARMY HELMET THAT IS ID'D TO A REV. LT BELL OF THE 310th Infantry, 79th Division (cross of Loraine), WHO DIED IN FRANCE FROM GAS ATTACKS. ****NO RESERVE****

 

DESCRIPTION: This is a rare opportunity to collect a helmet not commonly found. This helmet was acquired from an auction (along with other items) belonging to a 1st Lt. REV. Bell. The Helmet is a OD green brown, with some sand finish still present. The wear spots have oxidized and have petite rust patina. On the front and back is a white cross for CHAPLAIN. It black lights dark. It has a strange red oxide color either from beneath or above it mixed in. Helmet Liner is PERFECT as well as the LEATHER STRAP(intact!!!). Glued to the inside of the RIM is a dried paper ID-ing the Rev. He died in a Base Hospital No. 45 in France on Oct. 10, 1918 at the age of 32. He was in the Meuse-Argonne battle. A white typed paper was found inside the liner with info on his life and military career. It reads more like an OBITUARY. I believe this helmet was sent back to the States to a family member as a "keep sake". He was buried in a cemetery in France. Although the helmet is in good enough condition to use for impressions, re-enacting, living history, I would discourage that usage and keep this for display in a museum collection.

 

Please ask all questions before close of sale as "ALL SALES ARE FINAL"... Paypal users, please pay within 3 days of close of sale, Please no "E" checks...USP MO users, within 5 days. I'll send an invoice to the winner after closing and a Feedback after one is received.

 

I notified him a while back that I knew SOME, not all, of his items for sale were bogus. Needless to say, his comments were threatening and defensive. He DOES throw in enough real stuff to pull you in. I have followed him for several years now and even reported him to E-bay. No Luck there, however.

 

Dennis

Thanks for posting the "Heads Up" on this seller, Dennis. Posting this type of specific information on this Forum will help other collectors to make informed decisions about what they bid on and who they buy from. It's a "Caveat Emptor" world out there!

Semper Fi.....Bobgee

Thanks for the heads up! I wonder how many people will take a hard look at what they've purchased from this individual? We'll see if his items can stand the light of day.

THANKS, I WAS WATCHING THIS ONE AND HAD EMAILED HIM FOR MORE INFORMATION. HE IS CONVENIENTLY OUT OF TOWN UNTIL AFTER THE AUCTION ENDS, SO HE CAN NOT SEND ME PICTURES OF THE TYPED LETTER HE CLAIMS TO HAVE AS STATED IN THE AUCTION.

You better stay away from this guy !!!

 

Wise words!

 

All of his painted helmets are complete fakes. He's been at it awhile. I wouldn't touch anything from him. More than three years ago I started a thread on another forum about this guy. I included links to some auctions when he bought the helmets unpainted, then posted the links to his auctions with the same helmets on eBay, now named and with painted insignia!!

For future photo reference

 

 

 

 

 

 

Faking a helmet from a dead chaplain....do I hear lightning about to strike?

Faking a helmet from a dead chaplain....do I hear lightning about to strike?

 

Haha, couldn't have said it better.

Faking a helmet from a dead chaplain....do I hear lightning about to strike?

 

hahahaha

Faking a helmet from a dead chaplain....do I hear lightning about to strike?

Can't he be sued for this?!?!?!?!

I just sent this scum bag this message;

 

"Do you 100% guarantee that this helmet and the paint AND the ID is 100% original, authentic, not a modern reproduction painted by you or some one you know in order to take advantage and rip-off people in any way, shape or form? Do you also offer an assurance that some one didn't pull that poor AMERICAN HERO's name of of some roster and used it to enhance a fake helmet? Because if they did, using a dead pastor's name to line their pockets would be morally corrupt thing to do wouldn't you think? Also one more question, why do you not offer a money back promise on your items? Do you not stand behind their authenticity? I'm not saying that you might be forging these helmets, but if you are and you put them in the mail, it then becomes mail fraud and that is a felony. Think about it."

,,,,,,,,

On a slightly different tact, is there any documentation at to indicate that any Chaplain every used this kind of marking?

Is it just me or is the number of douche bags out there that are doing this crap to US Militaria getting bigger by the day?

I'm not going to say any more as it wouldn't really be printable.

Where there is money to be made there are fraudsters to be found.

If any one knows this "gentleman's" name (aka crap-bag), please do share it with us.

I just sent this scum bag this message;

 

"Do you 100% guarantee that this helmet and the paint AND the ID is 100% original, authentic, not a modern reproduction painted by you or some one you know in order to take advantage and rip-off people in any way, shape or form? Do you also offer an assurance that some one didn't pull that poor AMERICAN HERO's name of of some roster and used it to enhance a fake helmet? Because if they did, using a dead pastor's name to line their pockets would be morally corrupt thing to do wouldn't you think? Also one more question, why do you not offer a money back promise on your items? Do you not stand behind their authenticity? I'm not saying that you might be forging these helmets, but if you are and you put them in the mail, it then becomes mail fraud and that is a felony. Think about it."

 

 

His response,

 

"I am glad to hear someone out there is as concerned about originality as I am. The Helmet is period, and made of steel. It is covered in the correct color and texture and patina of the age and era. The cross and the entire helmet black light dark(no flouresences) The liner is stamped(dated) and looks to be original. The paper all black lights dark. So my best guess is IT IS ALL AUTHENTIC. Can I guarantee this? No! Since I have neither the time or money to spend on forensics, ie paint chip annalysis, carbon dating, microscopic organic solvent imersion, etc... Offer a money back promise? No! This is an auction, not Walmart. All sales are final, as in ANY auction. Don't like those terms, don't bid. Simple...When I purchase items for my own collection, I take prudent care in checking out the basics. Have I gotten burned? Yep! I think we all have at one time or other. However, if you are insinuating I sell repros for reals, or you seek to ruin my excellent reputaion, than that IS another matter I won't take lightly.

If you offer gaurantee on an item, and it is NOT correct, offering a MONEY back gaurantee only means that if someone challanges you and gets their money back than you in fact Did sell a fake(knowingly or not, don't matter). No one can gaurantee something they had bought from another source as real. Even family Heirlooms are proven fakes or copies at times. It would be nearly impossible to do. As to mail fraud, I'm in LAW Enforcement, don't preach to the choir! But thanks for the concern. As I said, I is great that Good Ebayers like yourself are policing the internet for crime. Best wishes, The Captain..."

His response,

 

"I am glad to hear someone out there is as concerned about originality as I am. The Helmet is period, and made of steel. It is covered in the correct color and texture and patina of the age and era. The cross and the entire helmet black light dark(no flouresences) The liner is stamped(dated) and looks to be original. The paper all black lights dark. So my best guess is IT IS ALL AUTHENTIC. Can I guarantee this? No! Since I have neither the time or money to spend on forensics, ie paint chip annalysis, carbon dating, microscopic organic solvent imersion, etc... Offer a money back promise? No! This is an auction, not Walmart. All sales are final, as in ANY auction. Don't like those terms, don't bid. Simple...When I purchase items for my own collection, I take prudent care in checking out the basics. Have I gotten burned? Yep! I think we all have at one time or other. However, if you are insinuating I sell repros for reals, or you seek to ruin my excellent reputaion, than that IS another matter I won't take lightly.

If you offer gaurantee on an item, and it is NOT correct, offering a MONEY back gaurantee only means that if someone challanges you and gets their money back than you in fact Did sell a fake(knowingly or not, don't matter). No one can gaurantee something they had bought from another source as real. Even family Heirlooms are proven fakes or copies at times. It would be nearly impossible to do. As to mail fraud, I'm in LAW Enforcement, don't preach to the choir! But thanks for the concern. As I said, I is great that Good Ebayers like yourself are policing the internet for crime. Best wishes, The Captain..."

 

Interesting response, seems to cover every base and every question... even the ones not asked... like maybe he's been asked these things before?

On a slightly different tact, is there any documentation at to indicate that any Chaplain every used this kind of marking?

 

I'm certainly a "never say never" sort of guy, but every Chaplin helmet that I have owned (only two), had modest 1.5 to 2 inch simple white crosses to the front of the helmet. Both were with YD groups and none were named. One had a photograph of him wearing the helmet. The other came from the Father O'connell group that was broken up but now back together again in a friends collection. I understand that the wartime conditions perhaps did not permit the opportunity to paint precise cross designs, but I would not think that a Chaplin would paint a sloppy bold cross to the front of his helmet. I have NEVER seen a Chaplins helmet from WW1 have ANY red paint as it appears that this one has.

 

Not the expert here, but no longer the fool on this guy either!!

Can't he be sued for this?!?!?!?!

I don't know Justin, Can he?

"... Best wishes, The Captain..."

What's this guy a Captain of?

 

The Major

As a retired Deputy Sheriff, I hope this guy was blowing smoke about being in law enfordement. Maybe he doesn't understand that being someone's snitch does not make you part of the law enforcement community. Dave

What's this guy a Captain of?

 

The Major

 

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=300242576072

 

Captain Scarlet is an old kids tv show from the 1960's

 

 

Walmart or not, anyone who doesn't stand behind what they sell has no integrity and should be avoided. Big red flag and flashing warning lights!!!

I don't collect helmets - have nary a one, in fact, but I did look up Chaplain Bell. The name matches that of Lt. Albert Bell, Chaplain of the 310th Infantry Regiment. This was found on the ABMC website, but this info slightly contradicts the helmet. He is officially listed as having died October 13th 1918, not October 10th, and he was in the 78th Division, not the 78th.

 

My 2 cents worth.

 

Will