Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice service used example of an original French WWI Model 1915 Adrian helmet, retaining its Horizon Blue finish, artillery branch insignia, and 2nd Pattern leather liner. The helmet shows substantial period use and wear throughout, giving it the appearance of a piece that saw long service rather than remaining in storage.

The front retains its original French artillery badge consisting of a flaming grenade over crossed cannon barrels. The central grenade is marked:

R F

for République Française. This was the standard branch insignia used on French artillery Adrian helmets.

The shell retains its correct Horizon Blue finish and appears to have received at least two coats of period paint during its service life. There is extensive wear throughout, including chipping, scratches, dents, and areas of finish loss. The artillery insignia also shows some paint loss from age and handling.

The interior retains its 2nd Pattern leather liner, which shows heavy service wear. Much of the original surface finish has worn away, and there is extensive cracking around the outer edge along with some tearing. Despite the wear, the liner remains properly secured inside the shell.

All four corrugated aluminum liner spacers are still present.

The chinstrap is largely missing, with only a short section remaining attached on one side.

The Model 1915 Adrian was developed after the first months of trench warfare demonstrated the urgent need for effective protection against shell fragments and overhead shrapnel. French soldiers initially entered the war wearing the traditional kepi, which offered essentially no protection from battlefield debris. By early 1915, simple steel skull caps known as cervelières were being issued for wear beneath the kepi as an interim measure.

The new steel helmet adopted later that year was designed under the direction of Intendant Général Louis Auguste Adrian. Its distinctive construction included a separate brim, skull, and raised crest along the top. The crest helped strengthen the shell and covered ventilation openings beneath it.

Different branches of the French military were identified by metal insignia attached to the front. Infantry and cavalry used variations of the flaming grenade, chasseurs used a hunting horn, artillery used crossed cannon, colonial troops used an anchor, and North African formations used a crescent.

The Adrian was intended primarily to protect against shell fragments and falling battlefield debris rather than direct rifle or machine gun fire. Its mild steel construction kept the helmet comparatively light, making it practical for extended wear in the trenches.

Production began during 1915, and the helmet was issued on a massive scale to French troops during the war. The design was subsequently adopted or adapted by numerous Allied and foreign armies and became one of the most recognizable military helmets of WWI.

Early French examples were generally finished in Horizon Blue, matching the characteristic French Army uniform color of the period. Covers were also experimented with to reduce glare, although their use was later discouraged because fragments of dirty cloth could potentially be driven into wounds if the helmet were struck.

The Model 1915 remained in widespread French service after the war and eventually evolved into the simplified Model 1926 Adrian, which incorporated a one piece shell and other manufacturing improvements.

This example is especially appealing because it retains the correct artillery insignia, layered Horizon Blue finish, original liner system, and all four corrugated aluminum spacers. The heavy wear to the shell and liner gives it excellent period character and makes it a strong representative example of a French artillery helmet from the First World War.