SS Pith helmet GOOD???

[Gregory Koepp]

ok what do you think??

greg

[Dennis S]

George, The pith helmet of course is good and I can assume you question the shields. I can not answer from your photos , but I can tell you this . Back in the 70's a notorious dealer from New Jersey( yes the same one I mentioned in a previous thread that made up the batches of Italian SS sleave eagles) asked to borrow an original set of shields from another dealer who was also a SS collector. The SS collector had two original sets one matching JFS42 and another JFS43. The SS dealer/collector loaned him one JFS42 and one JFS43 so the dealer could only make molds/Dies for mismatched sets and this is what he did. I inspected the fakes after they were made(presented to me as originals) and they were cast from aluminum , but were quite well done . Yes they were a JFS42 and JFS43 I can't remember which though. I believe the originals are a zinc or zinc aluminum mix.
I don't think any one tell when an original set of SS shields were mounted on any pith helmet.If the shields are original thats half the battle. I would only pay the value of a pith helmet and the value of a set of original shields not a premium for an "original" SS pith helmet which would probably an extremely rare piece of hedagear. The photos I have observed always appear to be the canvas covered tan SS pith helmets. Regards Dennis

[Ian Hulley]

Gregory,please learn from my mistake and very very gently take the chinstrap from the 'peak' of your trophelm NOW.Without getting into arguments about whether it was a German way of keeping them the chinstraps on these are wafer thin and break extremely easily after 61 years of storage ...I bet it's a JFS '42 marked liner ? Another problem with storing these is that in anything like humid/damp conditions the steel wire inside the brim bead rusts and wears through the soft leather.As for the shields I saw a blank for these back in the late '70s in the hands of the scum-sucking Tony Goodlad so as you've already been told don't pay an SS premium.JFS shields were made from zinc alloy which can absorb the silver/white finish on them,the earlier pattern cork trophelms were (says he making a broad sweeping statement based on the 1/2 dozen I've handled ! ) equiped with brass based shields which might wear and scuff but at least they don't eat their own clothes!

Seasons greetings from the frozen Peak District,
Ian Hulley

[Ian Hulley]

Gregory,please learn from my mistake and very very gently take the chinstrap from the 'peak' of your trophelm NOW.Without getting into arguments about whether it was a German way of keeping them the chinstraps on these are wafer thin and break extremely easily after 61 years of storage...I bet it's a JFS '42 marked liner ? Another problem with storing these is that in anything like humid/damp conditions the steel wire inside the brim bead rusts and wears through the soft leather.As for the shields I saw a blank for these back in the late '70s in the hands of the scum-sucking Tony Goodlad so as you've already been told don't pay an SS premium.JFS shields were made from zinc alloy which can absorb the silver/white finish on them,the earlier pattern cork trophelms were (says he making a broad sweeping statement based on the 1/2 dozen I've handled !) equiped with brass based shields which might wear and scuff but at least they don't eat their own clothes!

Seasons greetings from the frozen Peak District,
Ian Hulley

[sdesember]

Good evening! I have a set of Pith helmet SS shields that I think are reproductions, but am still not 100% certain due to my limited knowledge. I'm not sure what is the material composition of them. They weigh about 19-20 grams each. I included two photos of the shields. Would it be possible to provide feedback as to its authenticity? Thank you kindly in advance!

[John T]

I have a shield that I believe to be original and it is made from what appears to be zinc..which would be correct for that time of the war, it is marked JFS and either 43 or 42..I don't recall, John

[Jean-Loup]

Are the SS shields supposed to be constructed in a similar way as the wehrmacht ones; or are they totaly different? I dont know of JSF making WH ones.
JL

[John T]

Are the SS shields supposed to be constructed in a similar way as the wehrmacht ones; or are they totaly different? I dont know of JSF making WH ones.
JL

I believe the SS shields are die cast, while the wehrmacht pieces are die struck, John

[CRAIGGOODWIN]

Ecuse my ignorance

But when did SS wear pith helmets, I thought there was no SS in the African campaign ??

[jacques]

Hi

I remember a pic of SS wearing pith helmet in Korsica (RFSS)
jacques

But when did SS wear pith helmets, I thought there was no SS in the African campaign ??

[Theodor]

Do not know for Afrika, but the SS wore ith helmets on the Balkans /like Greece, it is HOT there/ and in Italy, as far as I know.

[Jean-Loup]

Some day I will have to go check out Corsica with my metal detector..
JL

[atcase]

Hi all,
if this was an S.S. issue piece would it not have a unit stamp of some sort ???, as you really do not see that many of them around.

All the ones that i have known have had the shields applied post war.

Ashley

[Hasse.M]

But when did SS wear pith helmets, I thought there was no SS in the African campaign ??

SS was never in Africa, due to Rommel.
Tropical dressing was used in many places as mentioned before.
Greece, Italy, Kreta, etc,etc

Best regards!

[junior]

post war...

After the war the people in Antwerp where burning SS pith helmets on the street...
Junior.