Original Item. Only One Available. This is a very good service-worn example of an original Belgian WWI Model 1915 Adrian steel helmet, retaining its period Belgian lion-head frontal badge and original leather chinstrap. The helmet shows substantial wear to its wartime exterior finish, with areas of exposed steel visible throughout. The interior liner, however, is a complete modern reproduction added for display and should not be considered original to the helmet.

The French Model 1915 Adrian helmet was adopted during WWI as one of the first modern steel combat helmets to see widespread military service. Designed primarily to protect soldiers from shell fragments and debris produced by artillery fire, the M1915 was introduced into French service in 1915 and was soon adopted by a number of Allied nations. Belgium was among those users, and Belgian examples were typically fitted with a distinctive lion-head badge on the front of the shell.

The original Belgian lion-head badge remains mounted to the front of this example and is the principal national identifying feature. The steel shell retains a substantial amount of its original finish but shows heavy service and age wear, with numerous areas where the paint has worn through to the underlying bright steel. Dirt, grime, spotting, and surface wear are visible throughout, giving the helmet a well-used appearance. The underside of the brim retains considerably more finish than the exterior. This area may have been repainted at some point, although it is also possible that the lesser wear simply reflects its more protected location, so the repainting should remain a possibility rather than a confirmed alteration.

The chinstrap is present and complete, stretched taut over the front brim, but there is a sizable tear on one side that is about 60% through, so extreme caution is required when handling the helmet. There is some minor scattered tearing in other spots of the chinstrap.

The interior liner is a complete modern reproduction. It is made in the style of the early M1915 leather liner and includes reproduction corrugated aluminum spacers intended to duplicate the appearance of the original suspension system. The reproduction liner gives the helmet a more complete appearance for display and may also help it sit properly on a mannequin head, but it should be clearly distinguished from the original wartime components.

The exterior helmet finish shows heavy wear with spotting of the dirt and grime having worn away. The underside of the brim of the helmet may have been repainted, but it’s possible there just isn’t as much wear to this side.

The original M1915 Adrian was constructed from several stamped mild-steel components, including the bowl, front and rear visor sections, and characteristic raised crest running along the top of the helmet. Although lighter than the later German Stahlhelm and other contemporary helmets, the Adrian offered valuable protection against artillery fragments and falling battlefield debris. Its basic form proved highly influential, and variations remained in use by numerous armies well into the interwar period.

Belgian troops adopted the Adrian during WWI and used a version distinguished by its national lion-head badge. Period references describe Belgian examples as being finished in khaki rather than the horizon-blue color most closely associated with French infantry helmets. The surviving badge and original shell configuration therefore give this example a clear Belgian identity despite the later replacement of its liner.

This helmet is particularly appealing for the survival of its original Belgian lion-head badge, heavily worn period shell finish, and fragile but complete original chinstrap. The modern reproduction liner should be considered a display restoration rather than an original component, while the possible underside repaint remains an unresolved condition point. The overall wear and exposed steel give the helmet the appearance of a long-serving Belgian WWI example without obscuring its principal national features.