Imperial Tropical Helmet

[pattiewhack]

Opinions on this one?















Thanks!

[pattiewhack]

48 views and no opinions?

[DaveG]

From the research I have available at hand, this helmet doesn't seem to conform to the typical East Asia issued sun helmets as patented and made by Ludwig Bortfeldt. The examples shown in The German Colonial Troops from 1889 to 1918 by Jurgen Kraus and Thomas Muller have longer and more squared off neck visors among other differences. Given that Germany had many tropical colonies at the turn of the century, it's not inconcievable that this is just a commercially produced pith helmet that someone has added a helmet plate to. I'm no expert, that's just some obvious observations.

Best Regards,

Dave

[pattiewhack]

I'm still waiting on my copy of your aforementioned text, thanks for your advice in the meantime

[DaveG]

There's also a German language small reference work on German Imperial era tropical helmets by Ulrich Schiers titled Tropenhelme der kaiserlichen Marine, der Ostasiastichen Truppen und der Schutztruppen published in 2007. If you google it you can probably find ordering information. You'll like the Colonial Troop book. Everything by that publisher is first rate.

Dave

[usmedalman]

Check out this web site, some excellent photos.

http://www.sacktrick.com/igu/germanc...calhelmets.htm

[Jareth]

http://www.militarysunhelmets.com/index.html

[helmhunter]

I'm a complete rookie concerning the German colonial troops but all I can say is this pith helmet is french made. :
1886 pattern existing in natural beige (as this one) or white.
The "german" metal tag iside has certainly been added later.
Hope it can help.
Greetings
Phil

[helmhunter]

Forgot to add , the chinstrap is the one going with the M1931 french pith helmet and to my sense the conditions of the helmet and eagle are not matching.
Regards
Phil

[Peter_Suciu]

This pattern is quite different from the Bortfeldt but the Germans used a variety of patterns of helmets.

I'm not convinced this is a French model, as the shape is a bit different. I have a couple of the French helmets, as well as a Bortfeldt and numerous other colonial pattern helmets (I have 25 or so in total in my collection). I don't believe this is a legit German military colonial pattern helmet however. I think this might be a dressed up civilian pattern. I don't believe the Germans used private purchase helmets as much as the British did, so I would stay clear of this one.

There is an example of the legit version in my book Military Sun Helmets of the World, which I published last year.