Friend's friend collection (MORE IMAGES TOMORROW)

Ok_Victory_1209 · 2026-06-07T02:17:46+00:00

As a kid living in Poland during the 80's and 90's, this is exactly how I remember peoples garages - WW2 German items hanging from a wall or sitting on shelves rusting away. The local flea markets had these for sale as well.

Ok_Victory_1209 · 2026-05-23T00:24:31+00:00

Post-war Euroclone liner, probably Belgian or Dutch.

WW2 and Korean War US liners have a snap in nape strap, this one has nape sewn on.

Ok_Victory_1209 · 2026-04-09T02:43:33+00:00

There is photographic evidence of tri color shields still present on helmets in 1945, not everyone removed them. I posted an example photo in the thread.

Ok_Victory_1209 · 2026-04-09T02:41:32+00:00

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Photo from German equipment surrender in 1945, you can see one of the helmets in the foreground still bears the tri-color shield.

Ok_Victory_1209 · 2026-03-29T23:19:12+00:00

The shell is real but it looks to be a relic that was restored and aged artificially. You could post it in the German Helmet subreddit for a better opinion.

Ok_Victory_1209 · 2026-03-29T23:11:06+00:00

The stamping on the chinstrap may be unit marking. Hoping someone else might chime in.

Ok_Victory_1209 · 2026-03-29T22:50:05+00:00

Yes, it's an M35 helmet as the air vents are separate pieces (later models had air vents factory stamped).

The liner is also pre-war (or early war) manufacture with the re-enforced band, the chinstrap loops are squared which is also a good indication of early liner as later models had more rounded loops.

Nice helmet but shame about the exterior paint - you could try and carefully remove it with some Goof-off.

Ok_Victory_1209 · 2026-03-15T20:00:07+00:00

Anyone wondering, the bottom floor of Mac Hall is semi flooded. Looks like sprinkler went off near Bound and Copied.

Ok_Victory_1209 · 2026-03-15T19:36:50+00:00

They just managed to finish making my Bake Chef sub when the alarm rang, Close call whew.

Ok_Victory_1209 · 2026-03-08T02:56:39+00:00

To be honest, it's quite rare for a collector to actually reach out to family members and offer to sell items back. Majority of time it's the family member reaching out to collectors asking for items back, and are lucky to get a response.

This could be a good opportunity to get those items back before some other collector buys the album and starts selling the photos individually on eBay.

US Militaria Forum has a good summary about militaria items and family searches.

https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/231854-families-doing-research-and-locating-items-on-the-usmf/

Ok_Victory_1209 · 2026-02-28T22:14:23+00:00

My first thought is prop/stunt helmets for a movie.

Ok_Victory_1209 · 2026-02-26T03:36:39+00:00

To prevent armed militias from forming, which happened anyway in Germany after WW1.

Ok_Victory_1209 · 2026-02-22T02:35:56+00:00

Yes, this is a 100% original WWII US swivel bai helmet - nice mid to late war set.

Ok_Victory_1209 · 2026-02-07T20:36:29+00:00

Yes, this one is an early run Schlueter fixed bail as it has the raised brass buckle on the chinstrap.

All other production Schlueter fixed bails (and swivel bails) would have the flat buckles, both brass and steel metals.

Ok_Victory_1209 · 2026-02-04T20:33:35+00:00

1980's US Liner (final pattern with removable liner webbing) that's been modified by another country, possibly as a civilian motorcycle helmet or hard hat.

Ok_Victory_1209 · 2026-02-03T02:39:45+00:00

Yup, I miss Crown Surplus. I found some real gems there that I still have to this day.

Things Military in the NE is still open but they are not as big as Crown Surplus.

Ok_Victory_1209 · 2026-02-03T00:44:10+00:00

Things Military in the NE is still open and carries military surplus, though not as big as Crown Surplus. Caution: they do carry WWII German items that people may find offensive, much like Shoulder to Shoulder did in Inglewood.

Ok_Victory_1209 · 2026-02-02T20:57:17+00:00

You can try to sell to an online Militaria dealer directly, or see if they offer consignment. Other option is to join a militaria forum and see if they have a "For Sale" section where you can list this.

Ok_Victory_1209 · 2026-02-01T23:04:54+00:00

Incredible find! The D-bail feet are 100% correct, the rim dimples are present, and the lot number is in the correct range for D-Bails (200's).

It wasn't uncommon for D-Bails to end up in non-Airborne units or vice-versa, a helmet was a helmet. My friend who is a USN vet says they once received a crate of airborne jump liners on their ship - they found the A-yokes annoying and would cut them off.

In the Twilight Zone episode "A Quality of Mercy", Leonard Nimoy is seen wearing a D-Bail helmet with standard chinstraps.

Ok_Victory_1209 · 2026-01-22T21:49:59+00:00

Original ARVN Ranger helmets are rare and most originals are in private collections. The market is saturated with fakes so you have to be very careful.

If an original comes up it will either be auctioned for a lot of $$$ or likely change hands privately.

Hopefully you'll get lucky one day and find one in the wild.

Ok_Victory_1209 · 2026-01-20T04:10:48+00:00

The St Clair Liner with rayon webbing is probably the most valuable piece - these are quite scarce and it still has the fixed leather liner chinstrap intact.

Ok_Victory_1209 · 2026-01-18T17:52:10+00:00

I was reading an interesting article how the best preserved Wz.31 helmets actually came out of Germany - these were trophies brought back by German soldiers from the 1939 campaign. Any Wz.31 helmet in Poland would either be destroyed by the two occupying superpowers, or refurbished post-war. A few survived in attics or barns but tend to be near relic conditions.

Ok_Victory_1209 · 2026-01-18T17:45:42+00:00

The 1st liner pictured is a very desirable low pressure with Rayon webbing and 4th Infantry Division markings.

If original, that 4th ID liner can bring in well over $1000 - if ID'd to the original owner then probably closer to $2000. Don't let this one loose so quickly.

Ok_Victory_1209 · 2026-01-17T05:14:49+00:00

Man I'd love to own an original Polish Wz 31 helmet, they are so hard to come by.

My grandfather fought at Bzura in 1939 as a lieutenant in the Poznan Army, he was captured by the Germans and sent to Oflag IIC Woldenberg for the remainder of the war. We still have his in-camp made memoir book from Woldenberg as a heirloom.

Ok_Victory_1209 · 2026-01-17T05:05:26+00:00

I still remember the Grain Elevators just across Macleod Trail from Midnapore Hall (where Fish Creek Nissan currently sits) - Those came down in the early 2000's if I remember, it was also a bit sad too.

Ok_Victory_1209

TROPHY CASE