SS Pith helmet real or what?

[Spagg199th]

Any thoughts on this helmet? The pith itself is fine just not sure about the two shields? I sent a email asking if the pins are rounded on the back side and if there is any markings on the reverse.

Thanks,
Sal

[Spagg199th]

One last pic. These are the only photos I have for now. Not liking the party shield though.

[Gernika81]

It's very important to see the back of the shields. Prongs and making are very important.

[ValhallaMilitaria]

It's very important to see the back of the shields. Prongs and making are very important.

Almost the only way to tell which is why so many are attached to pith helmets with the seller refusing to allow their removal.

[jmcm]

Party shield looks repainted and they both look like they have just been put on.

[Tim O'Keefe]

SS Pith helmet real or what ? No

The shields are both old fakes imo. The only ss shields accepted by collectors are the zinc JFS 42 & JFS 43. These JFS's 42 & '43 are also faked in aluminum. The prongs are the "tell" and the runes are very sharp on an original, unlike this example. Need to see the prongs from the inside of the helmet ?

The interesting thing is that the helmet itself just may be an unbadged ss helmet ? Thousands of these unbadged tropenhelms with natural leather trim, (the type which were used by the 4th SS Polizie Div in Greece in '44) were found in a depot near Prague and used by the locals for many years. These days you can see them sometimes with added original Herr badges or fake LW or SS insignia.

Most SS units wore the helmets without badges.
The only SS unit confirmed to wear the shields on their tropenhelms is the LAH in Italy in '43-44.


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[sutka]

i dont like the insignia either