sniper helmet or to much saki?

[101combatvet]

http://http://cgi.ebay.com/WWII-WW2-JAPANESE-ARMY-SNIPER-HELMET-NUMBERED-ORIG_W0QQitemZ180109591706QQihZ008QQcategoryZ4080Q QrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

User ID kept private????

[vonStubben]

http://http://cgi.ebay.com/WWII-WW2-JAPANESE-ARMY-SNIPER-HELMET-NUMBERED-ORIG_W0QQitemZ180109591706QQihZ008QQcategoryZ4080Q QrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

User ID kept private????

Although I have never dealt with this guy I have followed many, many, of his auctions. He always has good, original, material. Whether this item is as claimed in not known to me, but again, this fellow picks up lots of interesting items and I have never followed one of his auctions where I thought what he was selling was reproduction.

This said, it is all up to the potential buyer whether to trust the information provided.

Chuck

[peleliuexplorer]

Other than the "Made in Taiwan" sticker, it looks original.

-Eric

[Dean Brock]

NO WAY- He has 99% crap with the occasional sprinkling of untouched originals.

[Jareth]

I agree with Dean. This seller many years ago was a straight seller. He is now a crook who knowingly sells fakes, fantasy items & put togeather groupings. He's completely destroyed his reputation for $$ Proceed with caution.

[plmurphy]

I agree with Dean. This seller many years ago was a straight seller. He is now a crook who knowingly sells fakes, fantasy items & put togeather groupings. He's completely destroyed his reputation for $$ Proceed with caution.

Harsh but fair ! Many of his descriptions are fantastical to say the least. Unless you really know what you are buying (and read Japanese so you can translate stuff yourself) I would not deal with him.

[vonStubben]

From a very knowledgable source

I sent the auction to a friend who is one of the most knowledgable people in the Japanese WWII collecting arena. This is what he said.

"Interesting headgear. Thanks for the alert. Have seen photos of a couple Japanese sniper gillis-suits. None had headgear. Markings on inside are interesting. But can't believe it is "sniper". The Japanese had construction crews like our Sea-bees. Both Army and Navy units. Looks more like something they would wear. Snipers don't wear anything with straight line features."

Regards,

Chuck

[Jareth]

Dear Chuck (invite your friend to read & join our boards) & all, one of this sellers techniques as of lately is to add rubber stamps (easily made) onto "ethnic/native peasant Japanese" farmers hats, shoes & raincoats labeling them as military. These so called gillie/sniper suits are nothing but hand made farmer's raincoats made the same traditional way for centuries. He thinks nothing of adding stars/insignias to private purchase pith helmets, original officer's collar tabs to tunics & assembling "groups" of items such as belts, caps & tunics & carefully wording/claiming they came togeather. I've seen him list obvious veteran copy navy field caps as being original.These are just a few of his tricks.

[vonStubben]

Dear Chuck (invite your friend to read & join our boards) & all, one of this sellers techniques as of lately is to add rubber stamps (easily made) onto "ethnic/native peasant Japanese" farmers hats, shoes & raincoats labeling them as military. These so called gillie/sniper suits are nothing but hand made farmer's raincoats made the same traditional way for centuries. He thinks nothing of adding stars/insignias to private purchase pith helmets, original officer's collar tabs to tunics & assembling "groups" of items such as belts, caps & tunics & carefully wording/claiming they came togeather. I've seen him list obvious veteran copy navy field caps as being original.These are just a few of his tricks.

Jareth,

This would not surprise me at all. I normally cruise the Japanese sword pages on eBay and from time to time I will run across items from this seller relating to such. His items related to the sword have always been authentic IMO. Other items, such as this, are not within my field and if I have any questions about anything else I ask my friend whom I have mentioned (he is a member here but does not visit often).

Regards,

Chuck

[Eric Doody]

I sent the auction to a friend who is one of the most knowledgable people in the Japanese WWII collecting arena. This is what he said.

"Interesting headgear. Thanks for the alert. Have seen photos of a couple Japanese sniper gillis-suits. None had headgear. Markings on inside are interesting. But can't believe it is "sniper". The Japanese had construction crews like our Sea-bees. Both Army and Navy units. Looks more like something they would wear. Snipers don't wear anything with straight line features."

Regards,

Chuck

Chuck,

If the friend that you sent the auction to lives in Florida, here is part of an e-mail reply that I sent to him earlier today on the same subject...

I am of the opinion that this piece of headgear is a rain hat and would have gone with the farmer-style rain jackets that are so often advertised as sniper “gillie-suits”. Were these rain hats and rain jackets use by soldiers and sailors? Sure they were as there is photographic evidence showing that at least the jackets were used. Were these rain hats and jackets used by snipers? I guess it is possible!

As for the kanji that is written on the inside of the subject rain hat…I can make out the kanji for “Army Special Rifle” but can not see the kanji for “Imperial” or “School”. However, as for when or who may have written this kanji, who knows!

Eric

[cbuehler]

Again, these are Japanese farmers rain gear and have been worn as such for centuries! They are not snipers hats no matter how much one uses the word "possible".

CB

[GoForBroke]

I agree with Dean. This seller many years ago was a straight seller. He is now a crook who knowingly sells fakes, fantasy items & put togeather groupings. He's completely destroyed his reputation for $$ Proceed with caution.

Cannot agree more. I've been tracking this sellers auctions since 1999 when he first appeared. Even then, some of the items we're iffy. Unless you know exactly what you are buying, your taking a risk.