West German Gas mask Set

[Collectinsteve]

Reiner,

And let's not forget that things changed over time ZB started out with Kahki, but they changed to gray (the same as THW, I think!). BGS also went back and forth between blue-green and just green. And their early gasmask cans were the same color as BW, I think.

I have a rough idea of what colors are what, but I am sure there are far more exceptions than I know of!

Rodney,

Glad you weren't one of the fools out surfing!

Steve

[ReinerMB42]

GM´s

Yeah Steve, the good ole "exceptions from the Rule" as we say here...
yesterday I got a GM 54 in a canister from 1936, overpainted in a sort of
BGS- dark green, the collector who sold it claims that he got it from a BGS-
Member. Another GM-canister in my collection is a 2nd Model BW-type, original
olive green, marked with 2/GSG... time for someone to write a good, useful
book about Post-war german equipment, I think...

All the best from Bonn

Reiner

[RodneyO]

Aloha Reiner, can't wait till you post your collection... especially your gas mask collection !!

Color seems to be a real factor here, now more confusing then ever!!

Howzit Steve!, Yup, ain't one to be near the ocean during a tsunami warning. The local people here remember what happen to Hilo, Hawaii (The Big Island) in May of 1960....

Rodney

[juoneen]

So.....whats the difference price wise for post and period gask mask set ups. I saw a post war complete the other day for 90, i passed as i know little about em.

[Collectinsteve]

I'm not up on WH equipment prices, so I can't do a direct comparison. What I can tell you is that $90 for a complete, very good condition post war BGS or BW gasmask setup is high. And by "complete" I mean the can, with both straps, gasmask, filter. The little lens/cleaning kit that goes in the lid is almost always missing so it's best to consider it a bonus if you find it. The WW2 type gasmask cape and pouch is, IMHO, a separate item.

If you're patient, and watch carefully, you can get a very good one in Germany for under EUR 30. Today's exchange rate that's about $45. The trick is shipping it to the US. If you have it sent all on its own that could punch it up to about $65-$70. Still cheaper than $90, but of course it's a lot of work and you never know what you'll get until it's in your hands. The early gasmasks are notorious for becoming dried out and hard.

Steve