Description
Product Description: This M40 SS Helmet presents as a field used, combat piece. The exterior shows typical wear from daily use, as well as now-yellowed but clearly evident remnants of a coat of winter camouflage whitewash around the pins and vents. The single SS decal rates around 20 percent intact. Enough of the decal remains that one can clearly see this is an SS emblem. The exterior has an undisturbed old patina throughout. Inside, this M40 SS Helmet has an original liner. The liner band is the correct wartime steel type. The leather shows darkening from use and age, and appears to have possibly been treated with a leather dressing at some point. The leather is fragile, with four fingers missing, and some flaking to the edge in the forehead area. The leather has some white spots which are likely from the leather dressing application. There is no drawstring. The chin strap appears to be originally attached to the helmet, and is a prewar type with aluminum buckle. The chin strap is full length and complete. The inside of the skirt is size and maker stamped “Q64” indicating manufacture by Quist. The lot number is “T1207.” This is an evocative SS combat helmet, that clearly saw lots of hard use. The condition rates as very good plus.
Historical Description: When the German Army first marched into war in 1914, it went to the front lines wearing the traditional “Picklehaube” helmets. The war soon developed to necessitate the need for an improved headgear to protect the wearer. The German Army developed the M16 helmet in 1915 and began issuing it in mass quantity to its fighting troops in 1916. The M16 underwent changes to bring about the next model, the M18. Both the M16 and M18 saw use by the German Army during WW1, as well as the interwar years by the Reichswehr and Freikorps. In 1931, a new liner system was developed. The M16 and M18 helmets were in mass supply right up to the time the Nazi Party took control of the German government. During Adolf Hitler’s rearming of the German military in the early 1930’s, the M16 and M18 helmets saw extensive refitting with the newer liner system, fresh paint, and the addition of a centralized decal system for the newly formed Wehrmacht’s respective branches. Decals were generally placed on each side of the helmet, one side being the branch and the other the national colors shield or party shield. In 1935, the M35 helmet was introduced. This new design was lighter and more streamlined than the older style helmets and is what the world now recognizes as the iconic helmet of the German Military. M35 helmets can most easily be identified from the separate rivet ventholes and rolled edges. With the outbreak of war, some changes were made to bring in a new model, the M40. The changes made to this new model was the use of a more matte field grey finish and the vent holes were now integral to the helmets shell. In 1940, the national colors decals and party shields were ordered to be removed. It should be noted that many M35 helmets were brought up to date by repainting them with the matte field grey finish and/or other modifications if necessary. These refitted helmets are what collectors now term “reissue helmets”. The next model helmet to evolve was the M42. The model M42 has the same features of the M40 with the exception of the edges of the helmet not being rolled and remain flared. This was to speed up production and lower cost as the war dragged on and the German economy began changing to a total war economy. In 1943 all decals were ordered to be removed from combat helmets.
With nearly 30 years of expertise handling, collecting, and studying some of the finest and scarcest military collectibles, Empires Past offers the best prices for your collectibles.
We purchase German, American, and Japanese Military Artifacts.
FROM SINGLE ITEMS TO ENTIRE COLLECTIONS…
WE ARE ALWAYS BUYING!!!
