your opinions on this helmet please...

[luftwaffenkopf]

is it an authentic WWII Japanese Army helmet and what is it worth? thank you

[helmetbuyers]

Didn't it sell on E-Bay a few hours ago?

I don't bid on shells anymore.... since they are near impossible to complete.

$85 plus shipping was about right.

[luftwaffenkopf]

Didn't it sell on E-Bay a few hours ago?

I don't bid on shells anymore.... since they are near impossible to complete.

$85 plus shipping was about right.

yes thanks. this will be my first Japanese ever, so a cheap shell is OK for now as long as it has original paint and in solid condition, which this one is. i'll be learning from this one and consider it paid training

so it is an Army and not a Civil Defense? sometimes i find it hard to identify, they look so alike

[Banzi64]

it's a navy helmet at that

[Jareth]

Very difficult to find an original navy helmet insignia & one that closely matches shell color! Next to impossible to find a navy liner.

[luftwaffenkopf]

thank you guys.

i'm not going to restore it in any way, just enjoy it for what it is. are the Navy more rare than Army as they are with German helmets? could it be worth more than the $85 i paid then?

[Jareth]

Navy is worth more. You paid what it's worth. It's much easier to restore an army helmet.

[Striking 9th]

I would at least put a repro emblem & maybe some repro flat head split pins on it. They are cheap and easy to find on e-bay. Better then leaving as is I guess.
Scott

[Joe]

I'd leave it like it is. It may be just a shell. But it's all Original.

Joe

[luftwaffenkopf]

i just got it. it has the kanji dai character which i've learned means 'BIG' or 'LARGE' size.

it also has a diamond and an 'S' inside. what does that mean? thank you.

[Jareth]

shell manufacturer Kobe Seiko.

[Striking 9th]

i just got it. it has the kanji dai character which i've learned means 'BIG' or 'LARGE' size.

it also has a diamond and an 'S' inside. what does that mean? thank you.

If it has the painted size mark then it is an IJA shell. If it is stamped into the metal like the "S"& diamond then it is an IJN shell. Yours appears to be a Naval shell.
Scott

[luftwaffenkopf]

yes indeed, the diamond/S is stamped, not painted. IJN - i'm assuming stands for Imperial Japanese Navy; and IJA is for Army. thank you

the Army one from my other post should be arriving any day now...

[Striking 9th]

yes indeed, the diamond/S is stamped, not painted. IJN - i'm assuming stands for Imperial Japanese Navy; and IJA is for Army. thank you

the Army one from my other post should be arriving any day now...

Yes, IJN stands for Imperial Japanese Navy & IJA stands for Imperial Japanese Army. The "S" in the diamond will always be stamped into the metal. The size mark you refer to is different between the IJN & IJA helmets. A stamped (into the metal) size mark would be correct for IJN. A painted size mark would be correct for IJA.
Scott

[luftwaffenkopf]

Yes, IJN stands for Imperial Japanese Navy & IJA stands for Imperial Japanese Army. The "S" in the diamond will always be stamped into the metal. The size mark you refer to is different between the IJN & IJA helmets. A stamped (into the metal) size mark would be correct for IJN. A painted size mark would be correct for IJA.
Scott

thank you for clarifying. this reminds me of my first days of collecting German helmets when i was learning the factory stamps and sizes. but i'm a fast learner