M16 helmet and cover

[MilitaryCollect]

M16 helmet and cover

Hello,

Here's a neat photo of a similar WW1 cover. Taken from: "Imperial German Field Uniforms and Equipment - 1907 - 1918", page 499 (ISBN: 0-7643-2262-1).

I like the cover.

Hope this helps.

Christopher

[nzef1940]

Any other opinions?

[PlaceOfBayonets]

Never buy anything from Latvia

W.

[nzef1940]

Its not from Latvia...

[PlaceOfBayonets]

I mis read that. Where is it from? I know the Latfians have had a few of them up of late.
W

[nzef1940]

The helmet and cover is from the U.S, yes we all know about the Latvian fakes etc etc etc..........

[Hoss]

nzef1940,
When you receive it. Carefully fold one of the gommets it should look like it wants to crack. I think we all know the stitching should be straight and slightly uneven. Do you have a blacklight? Smell it! and Taste it! The swine are using phosphates to fool the lights. Look really close at the inside for any faint remains of stamps. A lot were made under contract, some have the manufacture name and a date. The stitching inside should be rough, fraying, along with the inside folds of the cloth. Removed from the helmet it should make a effort to keep its shape and not collaspe.
If you dont see any stamps it doesnt mean it is,nt real a lot were field made also they used drawstrings as well as rim clips.

Eric.

[DaveG]

I've always been told the drawstring varieties were fake. I've had an opportunity to buy a drawstring variety with a maker' stamp that's been in a collection for 20 years, but of course that means nothing.

Dave

[Hoss]

I've always been told the drawstring varieties were fake. I've had an opportunity to buy a drawstring variety with a maker' stamp that's been in a collection for 20 years, but of course that means nothing.

Dave

No Dave,
They had drawstring jobs too. They are original pics out there showing soldiers wearing them. Some examples have two small steel gommets at the back for the string to pass through some not. Its a fascinating item to collect, but beware of the swine scum out there and their fakes.

Eric.

[C. Roelens]

Mike,

Did you get the helmet and cover? Please post additional photos when you do.

Chuck

[DaveG]

No Dave,
They had drawstring jobs too. They are original pics out there showing soldiers wearing them. Some examples have two small steel gommets at the back for the string to pass through some not. Its a fascinating item to collect, but beware of the swine scum out there and their fakes.

Eric.

Eric, what are the hallmarks of good drawstring covers? The reason I ask is perhaps I should re-evaluate the cover offered to me using some accepted guidelines. Without having the one in question in hand, it was a shade of light grey light-weight cloth with leather reinforcement for the lugs and a German, not Austrian maker ink stamp. No metal grommets for the drawstring. My first inclination would be to avoid any drawstring cover that gives the appearence of being mass produced, versus field made, which would disqualify this example at the onset. I'm not comfortable acquiring items for my collection that require too much explanation or are subject to wide differences of opinion by advanced collectors.

Dave

[Hoss]

Eric, what are the hallmarks of good drawstring covers? The reason I ask is perhaps I should re-evaluate the cover offered to me using some accepted guidelines. Without having the one in question in hand, it was a shade of light grey light-weight cloth with leather reinforcement for the lugs and a German, not Austrian maker ink stamp. No metal grommets for the drawstring. My first inclination would be to avoid any drawstring cover that gives the appearence of being mass produced, versus field made, which would disqualify this example at the onset. I'm not comfortable acquiring items for my collection that require too much explanation or are subject to wide differences of opinion by advanced collectors.

Dave

Dave,
Without a hands on its difficult, but dont be discouraged by the lack of ie: metal gommets. I hate to sound like a 'know all, who used to have'. But my first cover was from a very old collection it was light grey in heavier cloth with rust bleed through. German issue stamp and dated 1917 with cloth tape drawstring, dead on original 100%. Please forgive me everyone but those on ebay?? I mean come on gents! Dave I might be able to find some pics of german soldiers wearing a drawstring cover, if your interested?

Eric.

[nzef1940]

I thought from this posting that it would be clear I thought both The Latvian and Italian covers on Ebay where bad, by adding 'what is a good one worth'.

I will spell things out more clearly in future.

Mine should be here tommorow or the next day, stay tuned for my images once I have it in hand.

Thanks guys, there are a couple on ebay at present, one from Latvia.... and the other Italy.

What is a good one worth?

I have never seen one for sale?

[bwilder2]

Personally, I wouldn't rule out Latvia all together. Granted, many are fakes, but there may be a gem in there yet!