World War II German Helmets - Buy the BEST HERE!

World War II German Helmets - Get the Best Originals Here

Can YOU tell a real Decal from a fake? *Take this test now!* 2 out of 4 of these decals are reproductions...can you tell which ones? We GUARANTEE the authenticity of OUR helmets AND the decals.. Hold your cursor on the decal(s) that you think are real until a little window pops up.
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Authentic German WWII Helmets are our specialty.		Can you tell the difference? Don't be burned!!!

I offer this section to illustrate how some reproduction decals can be easily identified as not being authentic. While others can be very difficult to distinguish and require close inspection. The reproduction decals above were World War II German Helmets that were being sold on Ebay. Early on in my collecting I was ripped off several times by the fraud artists that use on-line auctions as a way to get them into the market. One of the above helmets sold for $600, and the other sold for close to $1,000. The $1,000 helmet was represented as an Original Double Decal Waffen SS. If the helmet were real, it would command a price of $10,000-$15,000. Imagine how this collector is going to feel when he finally learns his high end fake is only worth about $250.

A word of advice, if you buy a German helmet from an on-line auction, be very careful and ask the right questions. If the seller sends you fuzzy pictures or seems apprehensive to answer questions, do not bid. A very high percentage of German helmets listed at on-line auctions are fakes or have at least been tampered with. Most likely the number of non-original helmets approaches 95% or more. You can get lucky and find good German helmets at an on-line auction. Collectors usually know the good ones when they come up and they usually they command a high price. On the flip side, if a deal seems to good to be true, then most likely you are dealing with a reproduction. Stay away from helmets outside the US. Virtually all have been tampered with in some way. There is a ring in Latvia that sells fakes everyday on Ebay. There are also several Ebay sellers in the US acting as fronts for the Latvian crooks. Their listings look very much like the Latvian sellers. They all have the same story, such as direct from a Vet estate, or a small museum. The best way to have a high quality collection is to buy your WW II German Helmets from reputable dealers, that offer an inspection period and stand behind the product with a Lifetime Guarantee.

Here are some tips for identifying a reproduction World War II German helmet.

The helmet has a paint smell. 60+ year-old paint does not smell at all. Original WW II German helmets have an old smell. It is hard to describe but once you have handled a number of originals, you'll know the smell.
Decals are just too new and clean. The original Heer, Waffen SS, and Kriegsmarine decals are either lacquer or water slide. They exhibit a very distinctive metallic look. An original decal normally will show the same texture as the helmet as they were very thin, and snuggled into the surface. Fraud artists will try to age a decal, but usually you can tell the difference. Beware of any decal with deep scuffs and scratches not consistent with the rest of the helmet.
If the helmet has red rust that rubs off easily, you are most likely handling a helmet that has been artificially aged. The way the process works is that the crooks take original shells, re-paint them, rough up the surface with a fine grit sandpaper, then leave the helmet in the rain or even bury it in the ground for a while. Virtually all original German Helmets will show some rust somewhere, but the rust will be smooth and brown.
Reproduction liners. These are usually pretty easy to identify. The original M1931 liners normally are cracked and somewhat dry. Be wary of any chemical smells or size stamps that look too new. Beware of liners that are too brownish red. This may indicate post war Norwegian. Many of the fake liners will be treated. You will smell the leather treatment, as well as see it.
Reproduction Chin Straps can also tricky. They range from very poor to very close to the originals. They are also aged using a chemical process. Often, this causes the leather to feel very hard and have an odor. 60-70 year-old leather does not smell, but anything else is normally indicative of a reproduction. You will often see maker marks for companies that did not even exist.
Original shells, especially M1942 no decal helmets are being used to create Waffen SS, Heer, and Kriegsmarine helmets. Don't let the fact that the shell has the correct manufacturer stamps fool you. Most of the fraud artists are using original shells in an attempt to fool you into thinking it is an authentic World War II German Helmet. Waffen SS helmets, especially double decal are extremely rare, as are Kriegsmarine helmets. Many fakes in the market are Waffen SS or Kriegsmarine, although Luftwaffe and Heer helmets are being misrepresented as well. Combat Police helmets are also being faked.
Camos...where do I start. They are becoming very prevalent in the market place. A very high percentage of camos on the market are post war remakes. The 'Normandy' camo pattern are all of a sudden all over the place over the last couple of years. The 'Normandy' pattern is distinguished by the Reds, Browns, and Green. Most of the fakes are a vivid red, green, etc, but some have been aged and baked to have a more matte finish. An original camo is going to have paint oxidation and age cracks. Many of the vivid camos called "exotics" are clearly painted with post War acrylic enamel paints, and have a plastic/rubber type texture and feel. Do yourself a favor, before you buy a camo, from anyone, get a number of opinions. Winter camos seem to be everywhere as well and about 99% are post war repaints. If you see a Winter camo with more than 40% of its white paint, your most likely looking at a repaint. There are a number of other camos floating on the market, such as the Italian campaign, sawdust camos, nets, wires...you name it...most are fakes. Tread carefully in camo helmets. BUY THE HELMET, Not the STORY!!! Do yourself a favor and read this entire thread on the German Helmet Walhalla Forum. http://zline.eu/forum/index.php?showtopic=1661&st=0 This thread really illustrates how good the Camouflage helmets can be. It is a long thread but worth every minute of the read as it could save you Thousands of Dollars!!!
Lastly, handle as many originals as possible and get to know the real thing. I also suggest that you read books and use the internet to educate yourself. Here are a few that I recommend: The History of the German Steel Helmet: 1916-1945 by Ludwig Baer. The Baer book is expensive but worth it's weight in Gold! I consider it the Bible of Helmet collecting. SS Steel by Kelly Hicks is a must have before you start collecting SS helmets. Combat Helmets of the Third Reich, Volume I & Volume II by Thomas Kibler & Robert Igbal is packed with pictures, helmet types, and lots of useful information. It is a very affordable book and sold on Ebay everyday.
I also recommend the German Helmet Walhalla Forum. This forum has quickly grown to be one of the most popular forums for German helmets, caps, and various miscellaneous items. There are a number of resident experts that actively participate. Here's the link to the forum. http://zline.eu/forum/index.php

Collecting World War II German Helmets can be a great investment when done correctly. Demand for Authentic German Helmets is increasing and is at an all time high. If you are going to be a serious collector, learn, learn, learn. Education is your best defense against being ripped off. Enjoy your hunt for Original World War II German helmets.

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Modified 4.28.2008

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