FJ helmet 'been there' at Leningrad?

[gertje]

I'm not 'in depth' educated on FJ-helmets. Can you give me your thoughts on this helmet?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=2248579252

Marcel

[ROBB]

I think thats a load of twaddle ,the chinstraps have been aged with a nice coating of rusty stuff ,the outside was painted 3 months ago .It would be worth $1000000000000 if it were real and would have been snapped up by now .I cant comment on the actual components as I'm not a real expert ,Rob

[william r match]

Marcel,

The immaculate condition of the camo applied white and its stunning freshness is not a good indication of authenticity.

Regard the shoddy stamping of ET 71 as another concern of inferior workmanship. The concerns are plentifold but these strike immediate attention.

Not so much selling an FJ, but selling a story.

Just my opinion.

Billy

[Tom Kibler]

Billy said it all.

[gertje]

Thanks for your opinions. I suspected already that it wasn't the real thing. Someone else on this forum advised this seller on another item that he believed to be authentic. I guess this man sells a disturbing mix of authentic pieces and faked ones.


Marcel

[bodes]

Aus der Traum.

[Stephan Wahl]

Mehr wie, "Aus der Albtraum"

Aus der Traum.

[Lloyd I.]

It's always an attic or a damn barn. As if the local villagers torn away from harvesting potatoes and leeks that day said, 'Hey I just happened to have this helmet up in the loft for 60+ years because I knew someday you would come along'. Maybe he was thinking of the story he would craft when he was pissing on the helmet before laying it out to age.

I hope the guy gets carpal tunnel syndrome with his elaborate stories behind his 'finds'. May the fleas of a thousand camels infest his armpits!!!

[KoCook]

Hey, i've got that game... Is that the map of the unit the guy was in before
he left his helmet in the attic of an abandoned house at the edge of the village?
Wait, those are all infantry units? Oh well, I guess the paratroopers are in there
somewhere? Too bad he left his nice whitey helmet behind.

[Jean-Loup]

"It's always an attic or a damn barn. As if the local villagers torn away from harvesting potatoes and leeks that day said, 'Hey I just happened to have this helmet up in the loft for 60+ years because I knew someday you would come along'."

Trust me, it is possible to find all kinds of stuff in farms in Europe. I have found a few nice things myself, and know guys that have found dozens of helmets over the years. You wouldnt believe the useless crap some farmers keep.
About the helmet on ebay, some people are really shameless...
JL

[bodes]

I don't know which is worse, the story about something turning up miraculously out of no where or the guy who deliberately sells garbage under the guise of not being a collector. Like Sgt. Schultz said. "I know Nutthing" Yeah right, Whatever.

[KoCook]

Somebody thought it was found in an attic at abandoned house at the edge of the village.

To the tune of $3,716.
Ahh the private auction, no one knows anything.

[panzerzacker]

On another note, who does that jackarse think he's impressing...showing the historical photographs and the map? It doesn't make the item more real or more fake. I'm not much for authenticating helmets, but it could (and will) fool someone and it's a damn shame. His story doesn't really make sense...his collector buddies came back from Russia with this helmet and none of them wanted it? Eh, whatever...


On a side note, I've read that many reproduction Paratrooper helmets are being marked ET71...that isn't to say avoid all paratrooper helmets WITH that marking...just that they're getting good at forging it.

ZaCK

[Lloyd I.]

On a side note, I've read that many reproduction Paratrooper helmets are being marked ET71...that isn't to say avoid all paratrooper helmets WITH that marking...just that they're getting good at forging it.

ZaCK[/QUOTE]
The ET71 repro has been around for quite some time, they were very easy to spot with a footed 1 then they got smart but not smart enough to hide all the mistakes. They also make ET68 repros now as well. They have gotten better thanks to our references and comments.

I also have found my share of attic, basement and barn finds. My first set of Y-straps came from a barn and were mixed in with riding tackle. My point is that the found in barn-attic is the most used by people with a story to sell like this guy along with vet pick-up. Collectors also think that because it came from a vet makes it golden.

The burden of stupidity is on the careless spender who was willing to drop 3K for this helmet. I will make note of the sellers name though and keep my eye out for him in the future.

[lenny]

spot with a footed 1 then they got smart but not smart enough to hide all the mistakes. They also make ET68 repros now as well. They have gotten better thanks to our references and comments.
.

When did the ET68's start? Any way to tell them apart, weight, shape etc... You could pm if you don't want to give game away!

Aarghhh... hellish, I've ben burned on a FJ, expensive education!