How to Authenticate a WWII German Helmet
World War II memorabilia has a huge collectors' market, and one of the most prized possessions in anybody's collection is an authentic helmet. Unfortunately, many fake, reconditioned and counterfeit German helmets saturate the market as unscrupulous sellers try to make extra money on this popular hobby. Identifying fake helmets is not as difficult as it might seem, as a few tell-tale signs are pretty obvious if you know what to look for.
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Instructions
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Examine the outside condition of the helmet. Originals are unlikely to be in a very good condition due to what they would have gone through. Look for dents in the metal and chips in the paint, especially around the brim of the helmet.
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Check for discoloration on the lining and chinstrap. General wear and tear would have had some affect here.
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Assess the quality of the paint. On many fakes, the color appears too bright or perfectly covers the whole helmet. Sometimes fresh paint still smells new as well. As war-time paint is no longer available, the colors used are not a perfect match, but it would take a real expert to be able to identify a fake in this fashion.
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Closely examine the chinstrap buckle. The ones used on WWII German helmets would not have been painted, but some fakes are.
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Smell the leather chinstrap. If it is a fake it may still smell strongly of leather and the chemicals it is treated with. Authentic helmets would not have this anymore.
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Examine the decals on the helmet using a magnifying glass. Reproduction helmets will often use stickers and transfers which would not have been used on originals. Remember the decals are likely to show signs of damage as well. The design and positioning of the decals varies from helmet to helmet, but many reference books show you what to look for in this area.
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Look for sweat holes in the forehead of the helmet liner. These holes were built into the liner to improve ventilation for the wearer, but this is often an area overlooked by people replicating helmets.
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Check the color of the lining. Original linings were made of sheep's, goat's or pig's hide, not cow's, and so was a lighter color that may have darkened over time.
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Find out what material the rivets holding the lining in are made from. The helmet should include three inside made from zinc or steel.
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Tips & Warnings
Never buy a helmet from an online auction. It is important to examine the helmet yourself, and many fakes are sold online.
The methods used to produce fake German WWII helmets are getting better, making them harder to distinguish from the real thing.
