UBB.threads Forums Uniform & Accessories Helmet Forum yard sale find....

hello, I do love the rummage sales! I piced up this item for $5 !!! I don't know anything about helmets, but even if it's a fake, which knowing my luck, it probably is, but for 5 bucks you can't beat it! I would appreciate any info that you fine gentlemen could provide. I would like to know exactly what I have here, the technical name, approximate value, and the branch of service that this particular item is associated with. also could someone explain the ugly brown paint, I was assuming that some fool painted it when they got it. any help at all would be greatly appreciated!

without any further wait....The $5 helmet!!!

front

mark on front

back

left side

left side close up

underneath

bottom left side underneath stamped "ET64"

back underneath stamped 747

Its real. M35 model I believe. Great buy for $5.00

Thank you Painter80.

Mackadoo...The "ugly brown paint"is the camo paint job.That is a great find.You never come across stuff like this at rummage/yard sales anymore.Especially not for 5 bucks.Since you only posted one side with decal I am assuming that is the only decal(at least visible)...so it looks like you found an m35 single decal Heer(army) camo helmet.From the looks of the camo job it appears to have some green in there also....I would say it is what most collectors call "Normandy" camo.The small Maltese cross emblem scratched upon the front of the helmet was probably done by the German vet or perhaps the U.S. vet as it appears to be period to the helmet.Great find!

I live in northern Va, and I rarely see TR stuff at yard sales. I dream of finding $5 helmets. Some guys have all the luck

Thanks for the info Dave as far as i can tell there is only one decal.every weekend my girlfriend and I hit every garage, yard, and estate sale within a 50 mile radius, usually always coming home with loads of junk, oddly enough that saturday we found nothing until the last sale that we went to, and there it was staring me down.....the helmet! I am really not that interested in helmets but like I said you can't beat it for 5 bucks.
Painter80, you are right, some guys do have all of the luck, read this post it will make you sick!
http://daggers.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/217096573/...610011994#8610011994

could anyone please tell me an approximate value?

well I would give 500 for it

Wow, $500 for a $5 purchase is a 5,000% profit by my math...
NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

wow! that fantastic!!!
Thanks for the reply Tom and Johnny.

Now for my next trick, A bit of magic, watch as I turn the Helm into a dagger!!!

You have done really well....I rarely faind anything like this these days.
Cheers
-Mike

Great find mackadoo! I was lucky this weekend also. I found an RLB and luft cloth isignia at a garage sale for $10 for both im still researching them to see if thier real but it was exciting to find them. I also found a russian helmet and another that i have no idea what it is(maybe french)?

Nice looking camo. By the way, that's an M40.

quote:

Originally posted by Larry Marcella:
Nice looking camo. By the way, that's an M40.

I agree model 40. Air vent is stamped into the helmet. Model 35 is an individual grommet. Different shape.

It's worth way more than 500!

well thanks for all of the compliments guys, and yes, Larry Marcella, SteveRay, and militarycollectorguy you are all three correct, the air vent is made into the helm itself, and not an individual grommet. Ok so does that still mean that it is a Heer helm? Could you guys muster up any more info? I was also wondering about cleaning it, is there any trusted person or business that could maybe strip the paint and refurbish it, or is that a really dumb idea? at first I wanted to sell it or trade it for a dagger, but now it seems that the smart thing to do would be to keep it, as I would never be able to afford one! I have also been trying to find a similar one for sale, I can't seem to locate one, is it really that rare and valuable?

Rev. Mike,
I know that this might sound cynical due to my recent stroke of luck, but I know exactly what you mean, Schera and I go to every sale we can find, sometimes over 10 a day and driving over 5o miles! I have only been collecting for a very short while, but now every sale that I go to, I overlook my usual items of interest, and concentrate on the militaria. Out of well over 100 sales in the last two months the helm is the only piece that I have found other than some sort of stock certificate http://daggers.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/1560913051/m/3020079394
and I'm starting to think that its a fake, it's way to crisp! luckily I live in a heavily populated area, and there are always numerous estate, yard, garage, and rummage sales going on, so there is lots and lots of ground to cover, and I never stop hunting!

This is a brutal and merciless hobby, I love it though, out of the 7 purchases that I have made 3, possibly 4 of them are fakes, that fact alone was almost enough to make me call it quits, If not for kindhearted, charitable people such as your self and Bob Clark, I would have clocked out just as quick as I gained interest!

quote:

Originally posted by LEGION:
Great find mackadoo! I was lucky this weekend also. I found an RLB and luft cloth isignia at a garage sale for $10 for both im still researching them to see if thier real but it was exciting to find them. I also found a russian helmet and another that i have no idea what it is(maybe french)?

LEGION, What exactly is an RLB? and could you post some pics I think I speak for everyone when I say that we would love to see them!

Hi John, I'm not a helmet collector, but I'm betting these guys will tell you....

Don't clean, mess, strip, remove, alter, apply anything!!!!

Looks great as it is!

I think you have probably found a very desirable helmet, and messing with it in any way will do you no favours further down the track. Look for a nice combat bayonet and some fieldgear to display with it, and it would be a 'pride of place' part of your growing collection.

Regards

Russell

Great helmet. As Ruski says don't clean, mess, strip, alter, apply anything!!!! The style of decal (silver eagle) determines that it's Army. Gold eagle would be Navy. White flying eagle is Luftwaffe.All the organizations had there own insignia. If the leather was still present and in good condition the helmet would be around $1500, anytime something is missing whether age or well meaning individual, the item looses value. This is because unaltered and excellent items are harder to find and worth a preium to most collectors. Moral of the story "It is what it is so don't play with it". If you get rid of it, you'll be sorry later on.
There are 3 basic combat helmets M35, has pressed in air vent with rolled rim.
M40 has stamped air vent and rolled rim (which is what you have).
M42 has stamped air vent with flaired out rim.
RLB is Reichsluftschutzbund or Air raid Protection.

Thanks Raymond and Ruski, Thanks for the valuable info, another question, how would it affect the value if I bought a period replacement liner ? would that do anything for it? about what would the value be in its current condition?

quote:

Don't clean, mess, strip, remove, alter, apply anything!!!!

John, didn't you read this bit?

Regards

Russell

quote:

Originally posted by mackadoo:
well thanks for all of the compliments guys, and yes, Larry Marcella, SteveRay, and militarycollectorguy you are all three correct, the air vent is made into the helm itself, and not an individual grommet. Ok so does that still mean that it is a Heer helm? Could you guys muster up any more info? I was also wondering about cleaning it, is there any trusted person or business that could maybe strip the paint and refurbish it, or is that a really dumb idea? at first I wanted to sell it or trade it for a dagger, but now it seems that the smart thing to do would be to keep it, as I would never be able to afford one! I have also been trying to find a similar one for sale, I can't seem to locate one, is it really that rare and valuable?

That grubby old paint on the helmet is what makes it a really good helmet. Real camo's are very hard to find. I know you see them all over ebay, but I firmly believe that the majority have been camoed recently. Obviously yours is a good one. 100 times the money you paid is a damned good investment. Like the Okie hillbillies say " You cut a fat hog right in the butt Bubba. " You did real well do not mess with the helmet in any way.
Steve

OK,ok I get it, it is best left alone, I did'nt think that adding a period liner could hurt, but you guys are the experts, and I am very greatful for your advice, so I'll definately, unconditionally, follow it!!!!

SteveRay, I don't know much about the Okie hillbillies, but now I do know one thing about them.......They have some great sayings!!!!
(and i'm not 100% sure what that means but I like it!)

Dont play with it,its not really going to be worth anymore with a Thrown in liner,the helmet stands on the exterior paint.

OK, sorry to keep on keeping on, one more question, please don't get mad guys...... I noticed that your posts say DON'T CLEAN, now I understand that. What about preservation, my house is only about a half mile away from the Gulf of Mexico, lots of salt in the air. is ther any kind of special oil or wax or anything to stop the corrosion, or degredation or harmful effects of the moist, humid, salty air?

An original camo shell is always a nice thing to have..though i think the price is probably fair,a complete one untouched, will run you about three times more at least..

Don't touch it, don't clean it..let it be pardner!

untouched examples of anything are a good thing ..it's only original once!

quote:

Originally posted by Tom:
Dont play with it,its not really going to be worth anymore with a Thrown in liner,the helmet stands on the exterior paint.

Thanks for the reply Tom, what do you mean by the helmet stands on the exterior paint?

Hey John i posted my find here http://daggers.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/5430925403/m/1900006994
I tried to do aas much research before posting but hope someone can steer me in the right direction on the RLB insignia

Kursk, thanks for the reply, I guess i'm just so excited about the new treasure that I found, when I pulled the $5 dollar bill out of my wallet I was thinking "so what if it's a fake it's only $5 bucks who cares!" when I got home from work today and started reading the post's that were left, well it kind of made my stomach hurt!

And to think, first thing I wanted to do when I got home is strip all of the paint off of it , all I can say is thank god I decided to post it before I went to town on it!

In retrospect now that I know that it is original paint and not some junk that some idiot put on there, well lets just say that I appreciate it alot more!

HI

Value it is all in the camo paint,one its altered or cleaned then you change the look of it and if something was to happen during cleaning then value gets diminished.

TOM