LW Generals tropenhelm for sale ?

[Tim O'Keefe]

Here is a link to a dealers site with a "LW Generals tropenhelm." What do you guys think about this helmet ? Not to often you see a magnificent Generals sunhelmet

"This is a magnificent near mint example of a tropical pith helmet having belonged to a General of the Luftwaffe.
This is a typical Luftwaffe pith with an orange cotton crown lining and natural undyed leather visor trim and chinstrap.
What sets this apart is the gilt-wash brass Luftwaffe eagle.
While there were silver-plated brass eagles worn on officer's helmets, there is no mistaking the intentional gold finish on this piece of insignia.
It is lightly toned, and missing one prong.
It is faintly marked with letters designating the maker, the size 57, and the year of manufacture 1943.
There is no evidence of there ever having been any other insignia on this helmet, which may even be one of a kind!

Condition: 8
$ 2,050"
http://www.ww2germanmilitaria.com/ga...ef=R-HAD-HEL-3

Also has an Italian M38 with German insignia "claiming" to be German used, value around $400us

"Rare Italian pith helmet pressed into service by the Afrika Korps.
This Italian M28 pattern helmet is made of weaved straw.
These rare variations made in straw apparently were made in Italian East Africa prior to the outbreak of World War II and never seem to have been covered in canvas.
It has been modified by the addition of Heer metal pith helmet shields depicting the national eagle on the left and tricolour on the right.
The original brown leather chinstrap is present as is the matching brown leather sweatband, and the only marking is the size stamp "56".

Condition: 7
$ 1,230"
http://www.ww2germanmilitaria.com/ga...f=R-HAD-HEL-14

& my fav of the batch, a French unissued surplus helmet popped with German LW insignia, again "claiming" to be German used...value around $400us

"This is a scarce French-made blue tropical pith helmet as captured and issued to the Luftwaffe. It is made of formed cork, has a four-panelled top and is covered in blue-grey cotton.
The interior is lined with the same blue cotton, and features a brown artificial leather sweatband with size sticker 4/55. The helmet is complete with Luftwaffe helmet emblems and a brown synthetic leather chinstrap which has one repair.

Condition: 7.5-8
$ 1,530"
http://www.ww2germanmilitaria.com/ga...f=R-HAD-HEL-16

Same dealer had a SA sunhelmet that he tried to sell as a Dutch/SA German helmet captured earlier in France 1940...

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=805649

Would like to hear everyone's comments on these helmets ? Does show how easy it is to "upgrade" a standard tropenhelm.....

with appreciation
Tim

[msteve21]

xxxx

Tim

IMO you need to tread carefully with this dealer, has several postwar modified tropical uniforms for sale on his web site... a big red flag about what he sells claiming to be original...

As for generals tropical helmets, unless you could attribute it directly to a named individual, give it a wide berth and save your money

As you have rightly stated

Does show how easy it is to "upgrade" a standard tropenhelm.....

MSteve21

[90th Light]

[QUOTE=Tim OK;7143991]Here is a link to a dealers site with a "LW Generals tropenhelm." What do you guys think about this helmet ?



The eagle has been painted gold hence why one of the pins has been broken off.

I bet a bit of acetone will soon take it back to brass with remains of the original silver plating,

Chris

[Jos L C]

No such thing as a luft General pith helmet eagle, before more painters take up the brush.
Like said, just simply painted.

Jos.

[RGD51]

Some dealer sites are just suckerbait central-- contrived with WWII, Third Reich rubes in mind.

Robt.

[Darin S.]

A mine detector is a prerequisite for entering that site.

[Tim O'Keefe]

Tim

IMO you need to tread carefully with this dealer, has several postwar modified tropical uniforms for sale on his web site... a big red flag about what he sells claiming to be original...

As for generals tropical helmets, unless you could attribute it directly to a named individual, give it a wide berth and save your money

As you have rightly stated


MSteve21

Thanks Mark,

Agree, any Generals tropical helmets should have provenance or it is just a story. Just slapping on a gold eagle does not make it a Generals cap. & yes his tropical tunics looked souped-up as well.

cheers
Tim

[Tim O'Keefe]

[QUOTE=90th Light;7144075]

Here is a link to a dealers site with a "LW Generals tropenhelm." What do you guys think about this helmet ?



The eagle has been painted gold hence why one of the pins has been broken off.

I bet a bit of acetone will soon take it back to brass with remains of the original silver plating,

Chris

"There is no evidence of there ever having been any other insignia on this helmet, which may even be one of a kind!"

Spot on Chris, thought that myself, why does the eagle have a broken prong if it has never been removed or touched since the war. It was broke when the eagle was removed and painted.

[Tim O'Keefe]

No such thing as a luft General pith helmet eagle, before more painters take up the brush.
Like said, just simply painted.

Jos.

Great line Jos,

"before more painters take up the brush"

Close to the truth, next thing you know there will be LW Generals piths everywhere. lets not see any more Generals gold pith LW eagles.

[Tim O'Keefe]

Some dealer sites are just suckerbait central-- contrived with WWII, Third Reich rubes in mind.

Robt.

Agree Robert,

This guy knows full well this stuff is crap, & he never checks to see if there is any validity to any of his claims. Some guys will get burned big-time from sites like this.

[Tim O'Keefe]

A mine detector is a prerequisite for entering that site.

Hi Darin

Your right, not just a mine detector but a map of the minefield is needed. The more i looked into it the more i saw that was questionable to say the least

What gets me is all three helmets that i mention in this thread have all been fully vetted before. I recognize the Italian & French helmets and there was a thread on the "LW generals gold eagle" before too....

best regards
Tim

[darekm]

Appreciate your comments

My partners and I acquired a large collection of Afrika Corps items from a collector based out of Maryland earlier this year.

While every effort was attempted to ensure the authenticity of each item, tropical helmets are not an area where we have a lot of expertise.

We appreciate the learned expertise of this forum and of the Afrika Corps forum, and was stated yesterday in the AK forum, we will modify the listings asap to better reflect the true nature of the items listed.

Thanks for your comments,

Darek

[Paris Gun]

Agree Robert,

This guy knows full well this stuff is crap, & he never checks to see if there is any validity to any of his claims. Some guys will get burned big-time from sites like this.

GENTLEMEN:

I've actually acquired SEVERAL nice items from both of these gents; if you express interest in an item AND ask that they post said item on this Forum for opinions, they will do so immediately. I submit that such actions aren't those of hacks &/or cons, as claimed &/or inferred by many of the above comments.

Simply consider the number of complimentary comments contained in the thread regarding the 'Dutch "DAK" pith helmet, because I'm quite shocked at the extreme level of negativity shown on this thread in contrast to those seen if one actually reads that thread, which was offered to justify the negative opinions found in this thread. ???

Is this Forum REALLY so flakey &/or contradictory?

In fact, with respect to the quote above that started my post, I submit that it's a completely irresponsible claim. I know, as I've personally been responsible for 3 threads that Darek started at my request: 1 thread led to my acquisition of a 100% Original WH Tropical M40 (but re-applied eagle) for a fantastic price, 1 to confirm a 'presumed' WH "Frankenstein" Pz soutached M40 fake that was offered as such from the very start (yet posters on said thread admitted "how dangerous" such a fake was- even though Darek ALWAYS offered it as such), and 1 WH Bergmutze where the consensus was 50/50, but ultimately offered by Darek in an abundance of caution as a repro (and the only hat of the 3 mentioned above that I didn't purchase).

As a result, I must ask: Have any of you that posted negative comments even dealt with these dealers to justify your apparent attacks? If not, then tread carefully so your 'opinions' aren't slanderous/ defamative. I'm certain none of y'all intended such, but I do believe that "piling-on" / "bandwagoning" occurs way too often on this Forum, which is supposed to be a tool to LEARN & HELP, and Not to engage in 'internet bullying' (especially given the level of knowledge and well-regarded reputation of many of the above posters).

BTW: The other hat I acquired was a Tropical WH Panzer O'Seas Hat; exact same maker, etc as one presently offered for sale by Mike Davis.

Peace & well-wishes to all!

[msteve21]

As a result, I must ask: Have any of you that posted negative comments even dealt with these dealers to justify your apparent attacks? If not, then tread carefully so your 'opinions' aren't slanderous/ defamative.

Another dealer troll looking to bully us into believing this guys 100% legit

He selling fakes, by example a tropical tunic with postwar replaced insignia, claims its all original

http://www.ww2germanmilitaria.com/ga...asp?ref=R-U-15

Seems there plenty of competition to take over from Charlie Snyder

[90th Light]

New Zealand law is brilliant on this type of case. We have a law called the "Fair Trading Act". Under this statue, if you bought the so called "LW General Trophelm" and you took the vender to court. The judge would apply the principle that it is "the seller's duty to disclose or represent the item accurately". This now out-weighs the old maxim of "Caveat Emptor" let the buyer beware.

Thus "Darek" and his partner (partners ?) jointly or severally would be liable for refund or replacement or repair and costs on the following points;


1/ "This is a magnificent near mint example of a tropical pith helmet having belonged to a General of the Luftwaffe." (No such thing existed, so this is a false claim based on what ?)


2/ "What sets this apart is the gilt-wash brass Luftwaffe eagle.
While there were silver-plated brass eagles worn on officer's helmets, there is no mistaking the intentional gold finish on this piece of insignia." (Again no such thing existed so another totally false claim. Plus this is clearly painted gold with modern post-1945 paint. Thus a blatant attempt to deceive the buyer)


3/ "There is no evidence of there ever having been any other insignia on this helmet, which may even be one of a kind!" (expert opinion can be brought in here that there is clear evidence of the insignia being removed, tampered with for no purpose other than to deceive the buyer and inflate the price to an unreasonable level)

When the seller turns around and says to the judge that he did not know about these faults, the judge applies a principle of who has greater knowledge i.e. the dealer set up in business to sell such items or an unsuspecting customer who enters their business and relies on their description as to what they are buying is in fact what they are getting. The dealer in such a situation is deemed to have the greater knowledge and must make right their wrongs.

You could also bring action under the "Sale of Goods Act" and the "Consumer Guarantees Act"

With all due respect, any action by the vender for "slanderous/ defamative" would be on such thin ice in a situation like this the pond is not even frozen,

Chris