Japanese cloth/net helmet on ebay

[Striking 9th]

DAK, Good point! That's a very attractive helm rig and the e-Bay price will skyrocket. Japanese items and especially headgear have been climbing at an astounding rate. An IJN type II officer's hat just sold for round $500 or $600.

IMO, this trend will contiunue and I would tend to discount the opinions of some "experts" out there. There appears to be nine bidders and as always more will follow as the auction winds down.

Samurai

I would tend to listen to the experts on this forum. Jareth is one of the most knowledgeable good guys around. He has told me to be patient and it has already paid off for me. The helmet in question looks 100% legit to me but at what cost? It is way overpriced IMO and the type II hat was even worse.
Scott

[Samurai]

Japanese cloth/net helmet on ebay

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[Dean Brock]

No its stupidity when that same piece of steel can be found for a fraction of the cost.

[Samurai]

Japanese cloth/net helmet on ebay

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[John Gordon]

Further to Samurai's comments, one wonders what value to use if you were to arrange insurance for a collection on a replacement cost basis! I feel the premiums rising!

[Samurai]

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[IJANLFHELMETS]

The current high bid of $4000 is, I believe, an anomaly. There is nothing special about this rig, and have seen dozens sold in the last fifteen years, as nice, or nicer. the last 2 years have seen this type of rig going for around $1500, and the last 6 months, topping $2grand+. I have collected almost exclusively, IJA and NLF helmets with their original covers, and nets, so I am very aware of the values over the last decade. I feel the rigs current market value, is in the $2000 range. Currently, it is pure auction fever, spurring the price skyward, and, if, as a member stated he was going to $6500, I agree with Dean's analysis - "Way more money than brains"! I have a dozen just as nice or nicer, I'll sell him for $6500 each!!! Oh yeah, if you want the NLF ones with cover and net, they are now $10,500 each. Step up gentleman, I am taking orders.

[ROBB]

But where are they for sale? I check out the sites but nada nothing no seriously nice Japanese helmets anywhere , Rob

[IJANLFHELMETS]

Alot of sales are private, off Ebay, sales between collectors who have been bying/selling/trading with one another for years. Shows, and Ebay get the rest. Be patient, and save your $$$$$.

[MilitaryCollect]

Japanese cloth/net helmet on ebay

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[Banzi64]

The only thing I find special about the helmet is the net varient so I opened the bidding, but 4000.00 I never thought it would get there what is funny this week it might reach 6000.00 next week it might go for a third I'll be patient I will find a net like that sometime. Eric bought a nice first pattern helmet cover helmet and 3 color camo net from the same guy and it slid by around 1400.00 so you never know about pricesI guess it's who's watching and who has the funds at the right time.

[IJANLFHELMETS]

I couldn't disagree with you more. A good helmet is a good helmet, is a good helmet, whether from A. E. Hamilton, Jareth Holub, Eric Doody, or Joe Schmo. As far as provenance, there is none, on the helmet itself, which is what can truly make a huge difference in value, such as a capture tag, or capture papers documenting its circumstance, and place of capture. I would bet that most serious collectors of Japanse headgear, looked at this rig, and thought the same thing I did "nice set", nothing more, nothing less. It IS NOT spectacular in any sense, and priced aggressively with its individual components, helmet - $600-800, cover - $1200-1400, and net - $300-400, its in the $2-$2500 range. If it is all original, and not a post-war collector marriage of cover and net, add a premium of say 20%, and one still isnt any where close to the current bid. I also think, that to say "everybody wants it", is also a baseless assumption. Sure its nice, and I wouldnt mind having it, but it IS NOT that rare, to command ridiculous prices such as $4000!

[Banzi64]

I wish I could find a net like that for 300-400

[Jareth]

Pretty much covered already by a few voices of reason. I just want to add a few more thoughts. Rob please don't give up. Be patient save your money & network, network, network. Send out some personal emails, put yourself on a wait list, let others know what you want to buy & you'll get what your looking for at a reasonible price. The others, they know who they are, will be content paying the AHole price. I have bought & traded from some great friends/collectors/dealers who have sold me things at the realistic value. They are fully aware of the EBAY price. No good deed goes unnoticed.

[Dean Brock]

While ebay and the computer are great outlets for finding items their not the only outlets. For some there is no other option ( the handicapped, geographic availabilty issues, etc) and those are excluded from my forthcoming soapbox rant. While I don't know everyones situation for obtaining items there are many other avenues especially here in the states. Get out to shows, talk with fellow collectors and like Jareth said, "find a mentor". Building a great collection is accomplished by all means available
The pure enjoyment of owning a piece of history is only one part of the equation ,sharing it with others of like mind and seeking knowledge through the collecting is the other part.
There are SOME intoxicated with greed and haste that attempt to rationalize throwing obscene amounts of money at something is paying what an item is worth, its just a smoke screen to hide their ignorance of the hobby. They use the computer because of laziness to do the "leg work" and learn by touching, smelling and seeing an item up close. A lack of control in delaying self gratification leads them to jump wildly and throw money in a frenzy at a hard to find item. A hard to find item is not a rare item and paying more than the items average worth does not make it RARE. Patience ,diligence, knowledge and working well with others should be your STRATEGY it will lead you to many more items than a frenzied knee jerk explosion of cash.
When a truly rare piece comes to auction I can see the logic in venturing into uncharted territory in terms of prices. But this helmet,Cover and net are not RARE.