World War II German Helmets - Buy the BEST 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. Ebay, Manions, & Gunbroker.com are all risky places to buy. Yes, original helmets do show up on those venues from time to time but a high percentage have been post War tampered with in some form or fashion. 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. Ebay is a very dangerous place to buy German helmets. It has become a dumping ground for the post war fabricated pieces. There are also several Ebay sellers in the US acting as fronts for various East European fakers. 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 you don't own a Jeweler's loupe, go buy one asap. Magnification is the best way to view the decals as the fakers can't fake the spider veining and checking you see on an original decal. Another great source for decals is the database that has been compiled by the German Helmets Walhalla forum. Just follow the link: http://www.walhalla.se/forum/76-original-decals-chinstraps-and-lotnumber-database/
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 typically be smooth and brown.
Reproduction liners. These are usually pretty easy to identify. The original M1931 liners typically exhibit some type of age whether they are cracked or worn. Some original liners can be close to mint but they will still exhibit the correct original construction and markings. 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. Beware of any liner that smells like leather. 65 year old leather doesn't smell.
Reproduction Chin Straps can also tricky. They range from very poor to very close to the originals. They are often 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 often age cracks. Many of the vivid camos called "exotics" are clearly painted with post War paint. Do yourself a favor, before you buy a camo, from anyone, get a number of opinions. 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 it has great information. It is somewhat weak on identifying original and fake decals as it was published before the hobby moved toward very detailed study of original decals. 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. This book is a very good study in the characteristics of original decals. There are a couple of really good helmet forums to check out. There is a lot of information available and these can be useful learning tools. The first is the German Helmet Walhalla forum at http://www.walhalla.se/ and the second one is the Wehrmacht Awards Forum http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/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 5.26.2011

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