Lot 711

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Description:

One of the rarest articles of World War II headgear, a steel combat helmet manufactured in the style of a World War I-era M1918 “stahlhelm”, commonly known as the “SS-RZM” helmet for the large “SS” runes and “RZM” insignia stamped inside the skirt on either side. This helmet was primarily used after 1934 by the SS-VT prior to their reorganization as the Waffen-SS in 1940 and the wide distribution of M35-style helmets to those units. The exterior of this example unfortunately has lost almost all of its original blue-black finish and bears a layer of reddish-brown oxidation overall. Furthermore, the exterior appears to have received a postwar coat of light blue metallic paint, and although this has been mostly removed, noticeable traces remain in the crevices and the surface pits. A dent to the crown and several white paint scuffs are also present. The shell displays non-stepped vent studs placed closer to the liner rivets than those found on M1918 helmets. These studs lack the securing washers used in the World War I-manufacture "stahlhelms". The interior of the shell retains much of the original finish, still showing several patches of active rust. The sides show faint vertical striations, created when the helmet die was pushed into the base metal, and a faint line encircles the skirt approx. 1" to 1 1/2" above the rim. The aforementioned “SS” and “RZM” stamps are crisp, but are lightly struck at the top and bottom of each mark. The interior is fitted with a replacement M31-style brown leather liner with eight “fingers”, affixed within the shell by non-original split pins. This liner was not original to the shell, but was possibly fitted during World War II to replace the original three-flap liner, which was found to be inadequate. Priced accordingly with its condition issues, still a very good example of a very scarce helmet.

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November 20, 2019 10:00 AM EST
Chesapeake City, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 + $10,000