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M.42 no decal chickenwire bail helmet

Hambone

Community Organizer
Staff member
From an old collection traded off for Lugers. Telling an original from one created by someone who knows what they are doing usually comes down to voodoo and SWAG. Some things to look for, once one gets past whether the wire itself is a period type, are the consistency of the age and oxidation on the helmet and wire; contact points between helmet and wire; evidence of "overcooking" (too much artificial age) or artificial aging and wear.
 

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Tks Basile, that's the reason for that close shot of the wire hook and rim on the helmet. The biggest mistake fakers make is pandering to misinformation about what originals look like or supposed to look like. The fakers will "over-cook" them, creating too much corrosion.
 
Ron, I have the detailed pics of your M.40 and the wire, application, materials, age, are about identical.
 
Its not painted with some wacky camo, and it isn't coated in rust, so I guess I like this one. As neat as they are, I don't know if I would pay much more for a helmet with a wire basket, though...
 
That's smart Ryan. I violated that rule with this one, right under $1500. That's about 3x the value of the underlying helmet. I felt it on this one based upon documented originals I own and have examined. When you get one in hand and it's right it's about like a rifle that has been together for 60+ years. That said, somebody who knows could put one like this together that would be very tough to distinguish from an original, if not practically impossible.
 
This helmet is on another site, it's not mine, but I like it simply because it "looks right" if you know what I mean. No crappy bright neon camo, wear that matches inside and out and simplicity that says soldier done. Luftwaffe seems the most prevalent for these "wired" helmets.
 

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not a fan..

not a big fan of that one.. I think luft lids are more common is these are usually flak units that were in a fixed position for longer periods of time. These were often in fields or near farming areas. Hence, the use of bailing and chicken wire. Any use of "non issue" cammo must be looked at with lots of doubt first before making the determination weather its good or not..Unless it comes from a 100% known source i.e. the vet or direct vet family purchase or yard sale for 10 bucks.. I still dont see the value in buying 500$ lids with 50cents worth of wire on it for thousands more.. But thats me.. Im tracking slowly and treading lightly on a m42 with issue net still attached. This being the only true cammo option issued to the Heer and luft.. Although I think it only apears in the luft ground troop manual. Not 100% on that statement though. I know where it is and only have to wait till when he's ready to sell it....It's tuff to have to wait !
 
Im tracking slowly and treading lightly on a m42 with issue net still attached. This being the only true cammo option issued to the Heer and luft.. Although I think it only apears in the luft ground troop manual. Not 100% on that statement though. I know where it is and only have to wait till when he's ready to sell it....It's tuff to have to wait !

"Issue nets" are about as much of a minefield or more so. They've been knocked off and it isn't tough. It's jute strands, two bent wire zinc coated hooks and a bent wire ring with a press weld. Unlike wire, a net leaves no tell tale marks on the helmet that you can look at under magnification over the whole of the piece. Unless the net is someone "permanently" attached / wire on, you're lucky if the net itself is original, much less original to the helmet. There were excellent reproductions of the issue nets over 20 years ago.
 
well,,,

this one has been owned by the same person and I have known about it since I was in cubscouts.. My 100% concrete certainty of its originallity is the only reason im even going to pursue it. I would never purchase such helmet or any enchanced lid from anyone for more than what the lid itself is worth.. You;re example is nice and probably 100% correct. But, there is no way to prove it. Thats where the problems lie and will always lay.
 
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I'll give ya 2k for it !!!

That's smart Ryan. I violated that rule with this one, right under $1500. That's about 3x the value of the underlying helmet. I felt it on this one based upon documented originals I own and have examined. When you get one in hand and it's right it's about like a rifle that has been together for 60+ years. That said, somebody who knows could put one like this together that would be very tough to distinguish from an original, if not practically impossible.

Nice REAL one..your rule on buying keeps you out of real trouble. Guys paying past 4k for these are asking for it. Your comment on the nets is true...the repros now will be originals in the future to those who have not seen originals.. My offer stands....:thumbsup:
 
Mauser99, unless you get affidavits and such, once it passes to your hands it becomes like those stories trafficked among the waftarded, though I trust your competence and honesty and know you don't suffer from waftardation ;) I've paid higher prices for something simply because it appealed to me, regardless of what other folks think. That's why I have reworks, repairs, and the (in)famous "Vz. 660 Psn".

For awhile almost every silly clown "exotic freshie" lid peddled at WAF "came from the vet" or "came from the vet's ______________". Some certificate with the vet's name, better yet an affidavit from the vet, takes it from a story to provenance if it can be cross referenced. I trust you and I would buy from you based upon trusting your representations, but once it changed hands again, who knows. Original issue net variants have certain qualities that the rank and file fakes lack. One of my nets; it's wired to the helmet, researched, Normandy:

http://www.k98kforum.com/showthread.php?617-M.40-Helmet-w-net-Normandy-ID-d
 
Compare to fake wire:
 

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I have been itching to pick up a full/half basket helmet for some time. Question on the above helmet...is the wire itself legit just post war applied IYO? I see that "overcooked" look you specified where there is too much interaction between helmet and wire. I have also contemplated spending $200 on a original shell with wire added...atleast that way I can have the look without being burned. Thoughts?
 

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