{"product_id":"original-british-made-u-s-wwi-mark-i-doughboy-helmet-with-original-hand-painted-36th-infantry-division-arrowhead-insignia-textured-finish-liner-and-chinstrap","title":"Original British Made U.S. WWI Mark I Doughboy Helmet with Original Hand Painted 36th Infantry Division Arrowhead Insignia, Textured Finish, Liner and Chinstrap","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item: Only One Available. The outstanding feature of this helmet is its original hand painted 36th Infantry Division Arrowhead insignia, which gives the piece exceptional visual presence and a direct connection to one of the most recognizable American divisions of WWI. The helmet has no dings or dents and retains approximately 95 percent of its original textured finish, making it an unusually well preserved and highly displayable example. It also retains its original liner and chinstrap and is marked \u003cstrong\u003eHS 35\u003c\/strong\u003e, (the 35 is difficult to read under the paint) identifying the shell as British manufactured.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen the United States entered WWI in 1917, the U.S. military did not yet possess a domestically produced modern steel combat helmet. Approximately 400,000 British Mark I helmets were therefore purchased to equip the American Expeditionary Forces, while some American troops serving alongside French formations were issued French Adrian helmets. American made copies of the British Mark I entered production before the end of 1917, with approximately 2,700,000 manufactured by the end of the war.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe American M1917 differed only slightly from the British Mark I. Different rivets were used to secure the liner, the wire loops used for chinstrap attachment were heavier, and the rubber “doughnut” pad found in British manufactured liners was not adopted. American manufacturers were also able to produce shells offering improved ballistic protection. Despite these differences, the two helmet types remained extremely similar in overall profile and construction.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis British made shell is stamped on the underside of the skirt: \u003cstrong\u003eHS 35\u003c\/strong\u003e. The HS marking is associated with \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eHadfields Ltd. of Sheffield, England,\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e one of the principal British producers of Mark I helmet shells and a company closely connected with the development and production of manganese steel used in British combat helmets. The number 35 identifies the steel batch or production lot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe helmet’s most important collector feature is the \u003cstrong\u003eoriginal hand painted 36th Infantry Division Arrowhead insignia\u003c\/strong\u003e. The design combines an arrowhead representing Oklahoma with a superimposed “T” representing Texas, reflecting the division’s origins in the National Guard units of those two states. Period painted divisional helmets are among the most desirable forms of American WWI headgear, and this example is especially appealing because the insignia remains paired with such a well preserved shell and textured finish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 36th Infantry Division was organized at Camp Bowie, Texas, on July 18, 1917, using Texas and Oklahoma National Guard units. The division deployed to France during the summer of 1918. Elements entered combat in October, and the division participated in operations near St. Étienne and along the Aisne River during the closing weeks of the war. Its Texas and Oklahoma origins, WWI service, and instantly recognizable Arrowhead insignia have made 36th Infantry Division material particularly popular with collectors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe helmet shell is in excellent condition with no dings or dents. Approximately 95 percent of the original textured finish remains, preserving the strong wartime appearance of the helmet and providing an excellent background for the painted insignia. The high degree of surviving finish is a particularly notable feature, as many helmets of this type exhibit extensive paint loss, surface oxidation, or impact damage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe helmet retains its original liner and chinstrap. The liner is complete and remains in good condition with minor wear. The original wool pad is absent. The leather chinstrap is also complete but is somewhat dry and exhibits minor material loss. These condition issues are consistent with the age and use of an original WWI helmet and have not prevented the surviving liner and chinstrap assembly from remaining substantially intact.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBritish Mark I liners were constructed around an oilcloth band and net suspension attached to a leather strap and secured to the shell by the crown rivet. The leather chinstrap was fitted with a steel buckle. The surviving interior of this helmet retains the characteristic construction expected on a British produced example, rather than the slightly modified liner and attachment system later used on American manufactured M1917 helmets.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe British Mark I and its American M1917 counterpart represented the first widely issued modern steel helmets used by the United States Army. The M1917 remained in service through the 1920s and was eventually replaced by the improved M1917A1, which initially utilized refurbished WWI helmet shells fitted with a redesigned liner system.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe combination of an original hand painted 36th Infantry Division Arrowhead insignia, approximately 95 percent original textured finish, a dent free shell, original liner, surviving chinstrap, and identifiable HS 35 British maker marking makes this an especially desirable example. It would be a centerpiece in a 36th Infantry Division, Texas or Oklahoma National Guard, American Expeditionary Forces, British supplied U.S. equipment, or advanced WWI helmet collection.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45416692219973,"sku":"ONSV26EMC014","price":350.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/9EC98D24-507C-498B-8070-DFE8DCFADC7D.jpg?v=1785359360","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-british-made-u-s-wwi-mark-i-doughboy-helmet-with-original-hand-painted-36th-infantry-division-arrowhead-insignia-textured-finish-liner-and-chinstrap","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}