WSS Helmet

[AJ]

This is not another "is this decal good-thread"
I'll just leave thise pictures with out any more talk.
Coments would be welcomme

[Gerd W.]

Hi!

I´m not the special SS helmet guy, but IMO this one is a nice and original M40 SD lid with its original second style SS rune decal. Shape and corners look correct from the pics, so I´ll give you on this one. Let us see, what the others say......

Cheers

Gerd

[darryl-P]

AJ,

Yes, I will agree that it looks like a good one...although I don't know why the decal is so discoloured.

[herrgeezer]

AJ,

Yes, I will agree that it looks like a good one...although I don't know why the decal is so discoloured.

IMO the discoloration is caused be the cellulose lacquer that was applied over the decal to set it to the helmet. I've seen that before and I like it.

[darryl-P]

SS decals of this vintage were not normally lacquered...they didn't have to be, unlike the early examples. And...lacquer was usually evenly spread so the lacquer coating would have taken on a uniform age darkening. I'm not sure why this one is as it is.

AJ...can you confirm the shell maker on this helmet for me?

[Theodor]

For what period does the lacquer change colour? Mybe an earlier bad preservation attempt?

[AJ]

Maker

SS decals of this vintage were not normally lacquered...they didn't have to be, unlike the early examples. And...lacquer was usually evenly spread so the lacquer coating would have taken on a uniform age darkening. I'm not sure why this one is as it is.

AJ...can you confirm the shell maker on this helmet for me?

Hi
The shell maker would be
Eisenhuttenwerke, Thale (ET)
AJ

[darryl-P]

AJ,

Thanks....that's certainly the correct combinbation of decal and shell so I would say you have a good helmet there. However, I have still not seen that sort of discolouration before on your decal. I would love to see the helmet in person someday.

Viewing your images once again I do see that you pictured the ET64 stamp...I should have looked before I asked you the question. May I ask what is scratched into the rear of the skirt? All I see is SST.

[AJ]

AJ,

Thanks....that's certainly the correct combinbation of decal and shell so I would say you have a good helmet there. However, I have still not seen that sort of discolouration before on your decal. I would love to see the helmet in person someday.

Viewing your images once again I do see that you pictured the ET64 stamp...I should have looked before I asked you the question. May I ask what is scratched into the rear of the skirt? All I see is SST.

Hi
Thanks for your reply.
The story of the helmet is this. In the summer 1944 Leon L. who was a Danish WSS volunteer, left this helmet home at his last leave, before he ( and his unit = 1. Komp. SS Pz. Gren. Regt. 24 Danmark) was send to Hungary. Leon was later MIA there.
I got the helmet from Leon's littlebrother, who is now an elder man.
Leon served in the Demyansk Pocket as a part of the Frikorps Danmark. He was wounded there and was sent to the Genesungs-Abteilung of the Frikorps Danmark. There he recieved a new uniform etc. incl. this helmet. I guess this helmet used to belong to a member of the SS Totenkopf and that's why there is scratched SST in it. The other thing which is scratched into the liner is simply the name of former owner.

[darryl-P]

AJ,

Great helmet with an equally great story. It's nice when a piece comes with a name and a history associated with it. Too often things like this get lost.

[Perry Floyd]

Notice the one with the 2nd pattern decal how toned it is compared to the other. That too is on a ET.

[Perry Floyd]

BTW, nice helmet AJ.