ink stamps inside helmet liner

[Kenny Suit]

What do you make of this ink stamp inside a Japanese navy helmet?

I've never seen anything like it, so I'm inclined to think that the markings (and the liner) are fake.

I can't read Japanese, either, so I don't know what it says, if anything.

-- Kenny

[Eric Doody]

Kenny,

The kanji looks like the numbers 26 followed by saisei which means regeneration, resuscitation, return to life; rebirth, reincarnation; narrow escape; reclamation; recycling; and get this...reproduction.

Out of curiosity, what pad is the marking stamped on? Is the liner size marked in the smooth area of the liner band in the back of the helmet? If any of the liner cushion insert pads are present, what are the pads stuffed with? You mentioned you thought this liner might be a reproduction, what gave you that impression if you don't mind me asking?

Eric

[Kenny Suit]

Thanks for the reply, Eric. Not having received a single response in almost a week, I thought this thread was DOA.

In the meantime, I asked the Japanese language professor at the local university to take a look; he said that it reads "26th production." Only two letters different from your translation ("26th reproduction"), but what an important two letters they are!!

The ink stamp in question is on the cotton pocket of the front pad.

The pockets have cushions filled with a folded up cotton "tube" that is somewhat elastic. Sort of like a thin sock that has been cut up. They are off-white or light tan in color, and smell musty and old.

The liner is in pretty good shape, but worn. There are sweat stains to the pads, abrasions to the leather pads where they fold over, and a couple of tears at the folds due to the leather (which is pigskin) being somewhat dryrotted.

There is a size marking (little holes stamped in the shape of the Japanese character for "large") on the smooth part of the liner band at the rear.

I suspect this helmet is be a reproduction because the condition of he helmet paint is very good -- perhaps too good to match the condition of the liner -- and is a semi-gloss olive brown color. In the scratches to the paint I can see a light tan or yellow color underneath, which doesn't seem right to me because I've never heard that the Japanese used primer on their helmets.

It also has a blue circle painted on the rear of the helmet that the militaria dealer said was an identification mark for a landing force (marine) officer.

There is also a painted series of Japanese characters on the inside brim (in the same paint as the "large" character painted on the rear brim) that the professor said meant "Japanese Empire" or something like that.

I suspect that all of these markings are spurious, but this is just a gut feel. Probably a lot of my feeling can be attributed from the fact that this dealer sold me a refurbished helmet claiming that it was "original but unissued." At best, I'm wondering if this might be an old liner inserted into a refurbished original shell.

It's a mystery to me.

I can try to get some more photos if it would help.

-- Kenny

[Eric Doody]

Kenny,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you on your initial posting, but I was aware from the computer for a bit and then it took me a while to catch up on things.

I would love to see some more photos of the liner as well as some photos of the helmet.

Based on the description of the liner and helmet that you just provided, I would agree that there appears to some issues with the liner and helmet. For example, the way the liner and helmet shell were size marked are typical of how Army liners and helmet shells were size marked as Navy-style liners and helmet shells were not typically size marked in this manner. Also the "rolled-up elastic tube sock" cushioning raises concern as well.

This is the first time I have seen such a marking/stamping on the underside of a liner pad. I can also say that I just saw two "nice" reproduction/refurbished Army helmets at the recent MAX Show. These (reproduction/refurbished) helmets looked so "good" that I actually stopped and picked one of the helmets up to look at it before realizing that helmet had been repainted and that the liner and chin straps were reproductions. (I did not look that closely at the five-pointed star insignia that were on these two helmets, but would guess that the insignia were reproductions as well.)

In any case, I hope this helps and I will be looking forward to seeing the additional photos of the subject liner and helmet.

Eric

[Kenny Suit]

Here are more photos.

First, the liner.

[Kenny Suit]

A closeup of the rear size markings on the leather and the shell, along with the chafing on the leather pad where it folds over.

The shell is original, and has its original manufacturing and size markings, although they can't be seen here.

[Kenny Suit]

The painted inscription on the underside of the front brim.

The Japanese professor who translated this said "This must have been some sort of Japanese nationalist."

[Kenny Suit]

The cushioning material inside one of the pads. This is what I described above as a "tube-sock" material -- very thin cotton in a woven tube.

[Kenny Suit]

The exterior front of the helmet. Note the overall lack of wear compared to the liner, the semi-glossy paint, and the dark olive brown color.

[Kenny Suit]

A closeup of the Navy insignia.

[Kenny Suit]

A shot of the exterior rear of the helmet, showing the alleged "landing forces officer identification mark." The blue color has been significantly lightened by the camera flash. In reality, the blue is a dark "true" blue or prussian blue.

[Kenny Suit]

By the way, the light colored spots you might see here and there on the helmet shell are dings in the paint, where the light tan or yellow underpaint is showing through.

That's all for now.

My feeling is that this is a reconditioned original shell with reproduction liner that was actually used by a Japanese reenactor or movie extra.

What do you think?

-- Kenny

[GHP]

I'm not comfortable with the white kanji for "Dai Nippon"; they are not well formed/balanced, perhaps done by someone not trained in Japanese/Chinese. Besides, the third kanji (first on right) -hon- is missing a stroke.

Regarding the kanji "hon/pon/moto" -- its fifth stroke (the short one at right angle to the long verticle stroke) should be between the junction of the two sloping strokes (numbers 3 and 4) and the up-turn at the conclusion of the second stroke (the long vertical one). And .... there is no upstroke on the second stroke.

The series of strokes for this kanji is:
1 -- the top horizontal stroke
2 -- the long vertical stroke bisecting stroke #1; it ends in a slight upward turn.
3 -- the left sloping stroke
4 -- the right sloping stroke
5 -- the short horizontal stroke

I've never heard of "Dai Nippon" being painted on the underside of a helmet and it really makes no sense, militarily. Besides, the "dai" for size on your helmet is the same brushwork as the "Dai Nippon". It makes no sense for both handwritings to be the same if authentic; as far as I know, the size markers were done at depot, not by the individual soldier.

Regards,
Guy Power

[Jareth]

Kenny, thats an army helmet shell that's been repainted and a repro navy insignia added. You can tell it's an army helmet from the size marked "large" painted in white. The symbol is also pin pricked/stamped on liner band. Only army helmets have painted size marks. The painted kanji look stiff & might be repainted as well. Liner/straps look original but I'd need a closer inspection.

[Eric Doody]

Kenny,

I concur with Guy and Jareth.

Out of curiosity, didn't the Japanese professor mention anything to you about the poor quality of the kanji when he was consulted?

Eric