M42 SS review

[bruce98k]

My buddy wanted me to post this up for peer review.
Looking forward to your input.

thanks,
B.

 

[NathanLM]

My initial impression is that the decal is good. Patina looks right, wear is convincing, and has characteristics of other correct “ET” decals. Wish I could make out the first digit of the lot number. If the lot number matches other reported originals in the Brian Ice lot number book I would feel better about it.

 

[bruce98k]

M42 ss

I added a good high res shot of the decal.

B.

 

[Hambone]

It's a shame that the waftards and their lid gods created such a mess of things. Below is an original ET (left) compared to the OP decal:


A fake Champagne Rune SS decal (that Kelly Hicks issued a COA on), and the OP decal on the right:



Hicks COAs:

 

[nirvana]

I always loved that Hicks cited his own books on his toilet paper COAs. “It’s real because the book I wrote said it’s real.”

 

[Hambone]

I always loved that Hicks cited his own books on his toilet paper COAs. “It’s real because the book I wrote said it’s real.”

What the guy got at WAF who first pointed out that the "Champagne Rune" SS decal might be an airbrushed fake, who dared to claim Hicks may be wrong.....Is there any wonder this hoax lasted for over 30 years?



Look what these airbrushed COA'd humpjobs were selling for. A $250 helmet becomes a $7500 helmet:

 

[mdarnell19]

It's a shame that the waftards and their lid gods created such a mess of things. Below is an original ET (left) compared to the OP decal:
View attachment 223587

On the left is a fake Champagne Rune SS decal (that Kelly Hicks issued a COA on), and the OP decal on the right:
View attachment 223587

Hicks COAs:
View attachment 223588View attachment 223589View attachment 223590

Ham, you posted that the decal on the left was original and then that it was a fake. Not sure which one you meant to post.

Also, do these Champagne Rune helmets ever come up for sale as fake and priced accordingly? I like to buy one if price was cheap enough.

 

[iron bender]

Ham, you posted that the decal on the left was original and then that it was a fake. Not sure which one you meant to post.

Also, do these Champagne Rune helmets ever come up for sale as fake and priced accordingly? I like to buy one if price was cheap enough.

germanhelmetsinc has had two of them for sale recently. Like last week. Ken sold them at a reasonable price, and described correctly, and as what they are

 

[Hambone]

Ham, you posted that the decal on the left was original and then that it was a fake. Not sure which one you meant to post.

Also, do these Champagne Rune helmets ever come up for sale as fake and priced accordingly? I like to buy one if price was cheap enough.

Thanks MD, was getting late and I uploaded the same pic twice. It is corrected in my post.

 

[Hambone]

germanhelmetsinc has had two of them for sale recently. Like last week. Ken sold them at a reasonable price, and described correctly, and as what they are

What does airbrushed SS lid fantasy art go for these days IB? Does it still come with a COA? Would one have been better off with $7500 worth of Beanie Babies? I think Hicks and some of his diehards still insist that the Champagne Rune SS decal is real, and those airbrushed humpjobs are simply fakes of the “real” thing. However, no one can produce a real one for examination, putting it right up there with a live Sasquatch in terms of reality.

 

[iron bender]

Pretty sure they were priced the same as an original shell with new paint similar to 1944mil or ATF. $400ish

 

[Hambone]

Pretty sure they were priced the same as an original shell with new paint similar to 1944mil or ATF. $400ish

There were guys who spent $20k on Champagne Rune SS lids.

 

[Hambone]

And Bruce, sorry for the digression. I'm not an SS decal guy, but I think the M.42 ckl helmet decal you posted is legit. It looks more "three dimensional" and foil backed than a CRSS. Further, the runes and edges don't have the "blurred" look to them. I think it's good.

 

[mauser99]

I find the ET/ckl SS decal is the hardest to stare at and say its good.. If it were an EF id be confident in my findings.. I find starting with the maker and the lot # much easier than staring at the decal and guessing. Ckl in the high 2k and low to mid 3k lot would be safe. Anything over and your treading on thin ice. The sham-wow special was based off the ET and the fakes including the best printed type are based off ET pattern also..

 

[Kammerjaeger]

There were guys who spent $20k on Champagne Rune SS lids.

Revised so I won't contribute to the drift.


KJ

 

[Hambone]

I find the ET/ckl SS decal is the hardest to stare at and say its good.. If it were an EF id be confident in my findings.. I find starting with the maker and the lot # much easier than staring at the decal and guessing. Ckl in the high 2k and low to mid 3k lot would be safe. Anything over and your treading on thin ice. The sham-wow special was based off the ET and the fakes including the best printed type are based off ET pattern also..

I agree. I had to stop looking at it, then get up again this morning and look at it on a different monitor. I caveat my comments by stating that I never collected SS helmets on purpose. The antics involved with it never were encouraging either. I'm simply offering a weak opinion FWIW. An opinion is as good as the money behind it and if someone would state, "I'll buy that helmet for $4000" or "I would not buy that for $1000" then I'd weigh such money where your mouth is opinions more than mine

 

[bruce98k]

Another image - lot code

Better image of lot code.

B.

 

[mauser99]

et/ckl decal drop is in the 3500 3700 range I think. this falls well below that. Lot # and maker is so important to helmets.. Just like as we all learned who the only manufactures of zf41 rifles were and learning that makes it easy when you see a dot or a bnz zf41. Now we know.. I get sent lots of SE or NS SS helmets of course all bad no need to even look at the decal...

Bruce Id say your fine I will send the decal image to a buddy just to be 100% if you don't have a rock solid yet.

 

[nirvana]

I like it.

 

[mauser99]

Bruce, good to go.. 100% legit. I just wanted to be sure.

Better image of lot code.

B.