Wire Wrap Helmet, story to follow
- Thread starter Hambone
- Start date
KSH67
Senior Member
So, I am going to toss this out there because I have seen a number of helmets over the years that this has been done to. I have seen helmets with wire on them in various configurations because they were hung on a wall or from the ceiling by the vets when they got home. Since Hambone is keeping us in suspense I thought I would toss it out. 
That's where these are tricky. The first one I posted, the similar thin wire, is straight from the vet's family, confirmed. This one came from the vet's family too, long ago.........
It's been for sale for some time and reduced. Because it looked like it had a very good chance of being original wire, I researched it. I actually spoke with Lucian Morrison on the phone; a very gracious man and well respected lawyer in Texas. He was surprised to get my call about a "German helmet" as he remembered it well from his childhood. I read him the address and he said "that's the house I grew up in!" He was eight years old when his father, a high ranking 8th Corps officer, brought the helmet home or mailed it home in late 1945. I initially asked if his father was a flight officer, thinking the "T 2157" was a serial number (T is a flight officer prefix). He laughed and said "T 2157" was their telephone number on Blue Bonnet Dr.
He said he remembered the helmet well because he wore it as a kid and didn't know how it got away from the family. After looking at the pictures he confirmed that the writing in the liner and skirt was his name and address, in his mother's handwriting. His mother wrote that in there in the event that the helmet got lost while he was out playing with it or wearing it to school. He confirmed absolutely and unequivocally that the helmet had no wire on it when brought home.
I expressed an interest in the helmet simply as it is supposed to be, a late M.40 no decal helmet without wire, and Mr. Morrison said he was pleased it would go in a collection where it would be appreciated. I stated that I thought he should have it and would work with him on getting it back. I knew after he thought about it, given that it was brought back by his father, was something very memorable from his childhood, and had his mother's handwriting in it, that it more appropriately should be back with his family. I put him and Bill Shea together and Bill said he wanted Mr. Morrison to get it back too under the circumstances. Bill / Ruptured Duck is a good fellow and longtime respected dealer. The wire on it looked good to me. Hopefully this helmet will get back home to Texas.
He said he remembered the helmet well because he wore it as a kid and didn't know how it got away from the family. After looking at the pictures he confirmed that the writing in the liner and skirt was his name and address, in his mother's handwriting. His mother wrote that in there in the event that the helmet got lost while he was out playing with it or wearing it to school. He confirmed absolutely and unequivocally that the helmet had no wire on it when brought home.
I expressed an interest in the helmet simply as it is supposed to be, a late M.40 no decal helmet without wire, and Mr. Morrison said he was pleased it would go in a collection where it would be appreciated. I stated that I thought he should have it and would work with him on getting it back. I knew after he thought about it, given that it was brought back by his father, was something very memorable from his childhood, and had his mother's handwriting in it, that it more appropriately should be back with his family. I put him and Bill Shea together and Bill said he wanted Mr. Morrison to get it back too under the circumstances. Bill / Ruptured Duck is a good fellow and longtime respected dealer. The wire on it looked good to me. Hopefully this helmet will get back home to Texas.
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Tks. It shows that it's tough to know with a wire lid. I never pay more for them than the underlying helmet plus maybe a hundred bucks or so for a subjective bump because it appeals to me. The last one I bought I paid about the price for a single decal helmet in the same shape. This one I wanted to check into because the price was about 300-400% more than the underlying helmet.
The aging you see at the rivets is no more complicated than spraying salt water on it, wiping around that spot, and letting it sit with the corrosive interacting with rivet and helmet steel. Rust grows quick once it starts. Contrary to the allegations of certain waftard self annointed exspurts, A properly confected wire wrap or bail fake is extremely difficult to impossible to tell from an original. There are certain things to look for, but someone who knows can replicate those things.
The aging you see at the rivets is no more complicated than spraying salt water on it, wiping around that spot, and letting it sit with the corrosive interacting with rivet and helmet steel. Rust grows quick once it starts. Contrary to the allegations of certain waftard self annointed exspurts, A properly confected wire wrap or bail fake is extremely difficult to impossible to tell from an original. There are certain things to look for, but someone who knows can replicate those things.
mauser99
Senior Member
huh ?
thats not the answer I thought we would see. I hardly think the orig owner will be cut much a break from the duck.. It's a 500.00 dollar helmet with maybe .75 cents worth of wire on it and now its probably on sale for at least 1500.00 if I had to guess and I havent looked. Maybe more. He the duck has no quams on selling bogus lids. Cammos wire ect.. Because there is no 100% way to proove or disproove the originallity. In this case ole h.b. cracked the case.. Maybe hearing from the orig owner will change the ducks tune... Original lid non orig wire. case closed.. I hope he gets it back..
I couldnt help it and had to look..1950.00 reduced from over 2k !! did you see the painted cammo with traces of having wire on it ?? the same wire pattern that is on this helmet.. I smell something is rotten in denmark.
thats not the answer I thought we would see. I hardly think the orig owner will be cut much a break from the duck.. It's a 500.00 dollar helmet with maybe .75 cents worth of wire on it and now its probably on sale for at least 1500.00 if I had to guess and I havent looked. Maybe more. He the duck has no quams on selling bogus lids. Cammos wire ect.. Because there is no 100% way to proove or disproove the originallity. In this case ole h.b. cracked the case.. Maybe hearing from the orig owner will change the ducks tune... Original lid non orig wire. case closed.. I hope he gets it back..
I couldnt help it and had to look..1950.00 reduced from over 2k !! did you see the painted cammo with traces of having wire on it ?? the same wire pattern that is on this helmet.. I smell something is rotten in denmark.
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Winchester Cowboy
Senior Member
It would be interesting to know how many owners hands this helmet passed through over the years, and when it got "enhanced" with the wire.
It's too bad the wire and decals weren't serial numbered some how back in the day like the K98!
Interesting story. Buy the lid, not the wire.
It's too bad the wire and decals weren't serial numbered some how back in the day like the K98!
Interesting story. Buy the lid, not the wire.
It was all explained to the seller. Heck, I said cut the wire off it after he buys it back. My goal is to get this gracious gentleman the helmet his father brought back, with his mother's handwriting in it of his name, which he wore and had fond memories of as a child, for a reasonable price. My guess is that Bill sees the honor in that. It's regrettable that it was vandalized with bogus wire.
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KSH67
Senior Member
I'm with you on that Hambone. I have made convincing repro wire and chicken wire myself before to prove the point. This is a great story and has a nice ending. I have a few sent home helmets in my collection as well with stuff written on them on the liners or on the shell itself. Also have one that had the accompanying letter. Nice piece of history. Kudos to you for helping it back home.
Kevin
Kevin
Winchester Cowboy
Senior Member
A happy ending for the helmet and the owner.
