The helmet painter.

[Perry Floyd]

I agree with you there, it would be silly to try and stop them.
There's no witchhunt here, a dealer or collector builds his or her own reputation by the way they act,way they deal, what they sell and their honesty.

[Jean-Loup]

If there is a microstamp as he claims, this thread has no reason to exist. The guy seams honest, the decals at his site seem to be quite different from the real ones.
JL

[Rolf D.]

You guys missed the point

know it was mentioned that a no decal M42 could be had for equal money, but I don’t think that is the point. If a person, who is not necessarily a collector, wants a DD M35 SS helmet they can have a decent copy.

This man is selling the helmets to the REENACTING COMMUNITY!!! He is not selling them to us collectors as originals so take it easy people!

[Perry Floyd]

Sorry but I disagree...he's a source of a problem..
I don't see why a reenactor needs a antiqued helmet..

[Theodor]

Sorry but I disagree...he's a source of a problem..
I don't see why a reenactor needs a antiqued helmet..

Yes indeed! Perry hit the main question. Indeed, what the heck would an reenactor need a 60-years old looking helmet for? Maybe if the man is 80 and reenacts an Axis soldier that hides in the woods eversince the end of the war and actualy does not know it is over... For such an reenactor it would be a top piece!

Simply this man does not have the courage to sell fakes himself /I mean sell with history and "originality"/, but h knows he'll get very good money, because his customers would pay much. And they would pay much, because will get even much more when add a story to the helmet and make it a "vet purchase"...

Restoration /and making things for reenactors/ is one thing, not a bad thing. Making perfectly 60-years old-looking helmets is a very, very much different question. Micro stamp??? What's the use??? If it exist, does anybody know where it is??? I don't think the parties for each helmet deal will visit that fellow to ask him if it is his job or not... My 5c

[Peter_Suciu]

Sorry but I disagree...he's a source of a problem..
I don't see why a reenactor needs a antiqued helmet..

I sort of agree with you that a reenactor might not need a helmet that has the "been there" look. But I've been thinking about this topic and frankly the prices of some of these real pieces are just reaching points that are ridiculous. It isn't a matter of affording it anymore, but a matter of if it even makes sense to invest that much money.

I read on the German Dagger forum that a M38 DD Heer paratrooper helmet might cost $20,000! I know that if I even could afford such an item I would never buy it. There are probably collectors that would like one but can't afford it and a restored helmet (with aging) might be the way for them to go. Honestly if you had a replica in your collection do you want it to look minty if everything else has a "been there" look?

Many of us are fortunate to have some unique and nice pieces but at the rate prices keep going up it isn't going to be easy, or at least easy to justify the cost, on buying these items. Think of the casual collectors who want unique helmets but don't want to spend the thousands, not hundreds but thousands, of dollars these items cost.

I guess I assume these items will be faked anyway so I'm not going to get mad at someone who admits they make replicas. Many other collectibles have top notch replicas and that's how I see these helmets.

[Theodor]

Maybe it is just a question of a good marking. Not something you will see on the helmet as it is displayed, but something you will easy see what you look inside or something like this...

[Gene]

Yes indeed! Perry hit the main question. Indeed, what the heck would an reenactor need a 60-years old looking helmet for? Maybe if the man is 80 and reenacts an Axis soldier that hides in the woods eversince the end of the war and actualy does not know it is over...

Theodor,

That's hilarious! And I wholeheartedly agree with you and Perry about the "need for reenactors" to have a 60-year-old looking helmet when they're out in the field. They are as if they are back in time so why not reflect this by having a "newish" appearance? Wear and tear is to be expected, just not 60 years' worth. These are meant to deceive. I believe Mr. William is trying to allay both sides by stamping his helmets, but in all honesty why must it be a micro-stamp? Put a big ass dome stamp in there!

[Jan B]

There are probably collectors that would like one but can't afford it and a restored helmet (with aging) might be the way for them to go. Honestly if you had a replica in your collection do you want it to look minty if everything else has a "been there" look?

Peter, I think most of the collectors collects because of the history the pieces have. Why buying a aged replica to put in your collection? Maybe there are indeed some who use this as a ' filler', but I still think that if you could spend 150 $ + some shippingcosts...you also can spend some more on a original low end helmet ( M42 nd,luftschutz, fuerwehr,etc...), at least these have a history and are real!!

So, again, I don't think that most of the buyers of these helmets are indeed serious collectors ( apart from re-enactors of course, for which reason? I still don't understand)...

Cheers

Jan

[Luftm40]

This is really a complex issue with no easy solution . The analogy made elsewhere to the drug problem was very accurate IMO. I'm not a reenactor, but can fully understand the desire by those who participate in that hobby to have equipment as close to perfection as possible. I would want that too I guess. Now, to me, "perfection" would be a helmet that looks like it would have in 1939-45, with combat wear etc, and not a 60+ year look. The helmet painter is obviously a smart, talented guy who knows his way around the German helmet hobby. In fact, he is probably reading this. Do you think for one minute he is so clueless as to think his "art projects" aren't being sold as real by crooked middlemen? Not likely. The problem is that, not unlike the campesino stomping on coca paste, who knows full well that his product eventually ends up in the nose of others, it is very difficult to deny him his livelihood. I mean, all he's doing is painting a few helmets right? The real problem lies up the food chain somewhere and is not his to worry about. But then, without eradicating the source, there will always be some crook willing to cash in. You also can't really eliminate demand, as that is what drives our hobby and makes German helmets collectible in the first place. About the best we can do is educate ourselves and stick together as collectors. Also, I suspect that the helmet painter's wares look great in pics, but probably have flaws when viewed up close, perhaps intentionally so. Don't take solace in that though, as there are fake camo helmets out there now which are 100% made to deceive. Some are made from otherwise real helmets, and are scary in the extreme. I've handled these myself, and frankly won't touch a camo helmet anymore unless I know it's provenance

[J Melvin]

Here may be the rub. As an example, a uniform collector buys a nice fliegerbluse that has loops for several awards on it. He can obtain very nice reproductions of the probable awards for literally a fraction of what it would cost to pin the real thing on it. Now, he's got a choice to make. He either spends his collecting money on the awards or he spends a portion on a few repro awards and buys another tunic!

My point, repros have a place in the collecting community. Some collect to complete a set. Others collect only a portion of what would be required for the complete set.

As I am not an award collector (ok, I am banished from the site), I use reproduction awards in most instances on tunics. It would not matter to me whether they were marked on the reverse as a reproduction. The same should go for the other items that are being produced as such. It is the fellow that objects to such marking that really is the one that may have illegitimate usages for the repro goods.

The "reenactor" suppliers of items such as these know who butter their bread. A good bit of the time, it is not reenactors but spurious collectors with bad intentions. Most reenactors wouldn't give a rat's ass if a mark were put on an item so long as it wasn't visible in wear. The collector community should push for this. However, as someone pointed out, there are more (and sometimes better) fakers out there. The path is covered with mines. It is best to look at most items suspiciously in my opinion.

[BobI]

I found his website a year or so ago and yes he did state that he marks his work as such. If the helmet is marked by the size stamp and you find an exotic helmet with tampering in this area, do not buy it. For each person like The Helmet Painter there are 10 guys doing it to burn collectors. These guys deserve the furry of our collective! THP is just trying to put food on his table and does his best to protect us!
My 2 pesos for the day,
Bob

[Peter_Suciu]

I found his website a year or so ago and yes he did state that he marks his work as such. If the helmet is marked by the size stamp and you find an exotic helmet with tampering in this area, do not buy it. For each person like The Helmet Painter there are 10 guys doing it to burn collectors. These guys deserve the furry of our collective! THP is just trying to put food on his table and does his best to protect us!

I guess that's the point I've been trying to make. The Helmet Painter does it out in the open and makes what he calls "replicas." If he goes away -- or is driven away -- then someone will fill the void and might make fakes. The other thing I like about The Helmet Painter, Brian Bell and others who create these helmet is that they are open about the work they do and I think that educates new collectors.

If you were new to the hobby you might not even know people made fake decals. I had a friend ask me once why I don't "touch up" or restore the scuffs in decals! Another friend asked me if this stuff is ever copied and had no idea that a cottage industry exists.

Look at all those crappy fakes that sell every day on eBay...but if guys like Brian Bell openly sell replicas that should help educate the consumer. I'd still bet that some of these buyers will still say, "oh it is $800 instead of $150 so it must be real," but at least if they see that replicas are being made they should be able to figure out that fakes are made too!

[Perry Floyd]

Your right Bob he's making a living at it and trying to put food on the table. But like many other things calling it "making a Living" doesn't automaticly mean it's right...

This is about all I'll say on it as I know how I feel...but if others feel different so be it, that's cool..
you need at least two sides to every debate..

[Luca]

Guys I am sadly astonished!!!!!!
I saw that web site: I know I am not as expert as you, but I am not a beginner, but in this case I would buy most of them as originals!!!!(I don't know if I would buy them having them in the hands).
He is a great painter, and it's a good thing that he marks his works, but how many great painters do exist in the world and don't have a mark or a web site that explains their works?????