Original Item: Only One Available. This is a lovely example of a WWI M16 helmet, which was converted for use by the Third Reich in the 1930s before the widespread issue of the M1935 helmet. This would involve repainting, and the helmet was then fitted with a pre-war M-31 Leather liner, with the correct WWII pattern split pins. It looks like it was probably in service for some time, as it now has a wartime Panzergrau (Armor Gray) color lightly textured finish, and is also now fitted with only a single Heer Army Eagle decal on the left side. It was probably originally issued with "Double Decals", but when it was repainted at arsenal, only a single decal was added, as per regulations. Definitely an interesting example with a great look!

The helmet still has both the dome headed chinstrap retaining rivets, which hold the interior pickelhaube style chin strap lugs in place. It also retains both of the extended ventilation side lugs, which are the correct longer type with a small step for the small size 64 shell. This would ensure proper installation of a Stirnpanzer brow plate regardless of shell size.

Above the left ear, the interior of the apron of the shell has a stamped manufacturer's code and size “Bell” L. 64, also called the rattle logo, which indicates manufacture by R. Lindenberg A.G. of Remscheid-Hasten, who produced shells in only size 64 during WWI. Size 64 is a medium size shell, which can accommodate size 56-67 liners. The larger size makes these harder to find and more desirable to a collector. The rolling mill mark is also visible on the dome and reads 242, without any letter prefix. This is not a rolling mill marking that we recognize, so we leave this as a great research project for the purchaser of this helmet. 

All three original liner retaining pins are intact and have complete original paint on the ends. The interior of the helmet still has an original M31 leather liner with all eight fingers present, and in good shape, though the top tie string is missing. There is some staining from use, but no major issues with the leather, which is still supple. The liner band is aluminum, with square aluminum chin strap loops attached to reinforced sides. This is the last pattern before the move to galvanized steel bands. The left exterior of the liner band is marked 64 n.A / 56, indicating that this is a size 56 liner for a size 64 shell. There is also a size 56 stamped onto one of the rear liner fingers. The right side displays the full manufacture information, as well as a date:

Metall-Lederverarbeitung W.Z.
1939
Bln.- Ch'burg 5

This indicates production by the metal and leather working company Werner Zahn, based in Berlin - Charlottenburg, in the year 1939, which fits right into the pre-war period.

The liner is fitted with a chinstrap, however it is not a correct German WWII issue strap, and looks to have been acquired from some other type of helmet. We unfortunately have not been able to identify precisely what type of helmet it was originally intended for.

A beautiful, solid example of WWII Reissued M16 helmet with a single Heer Army decal and some interesting characteristics. Comes ready to research and display!

The first "modern" steel helmets were introduced by the French army in early 1915 and were shortly followed by the British army later that year. With plans on the drawing board, experimental helmets in the field, ("Gaede" helmet), and some captured French and British helmets the German army began tests for their own steel helmet at the Kummersdorf Proving Grounds in November, and in the field in December 1915. An acceptable pattern was developed and approved and production began at Eisen-und Hüttenwerke, AG Thale/Harz, in the spring of 1916. These first modern M16 helmets evolved into the M18 helmets by the end of WWI. At the end of WWI it is estimated that Germany had produced about 8,500,000 steel helmets. As a result of the restrictions placed on the German’s by the Treaty of Versailles, which dictated a standing army of only 100,000 personnel, there was an abundant surplus of these helmets, and though they saw widespread use by Freikorps personnel, there was still a stockpile controlled by the Reichswehr.

These excess helmets underwent minor modifications in 1923 with the addition of provincial identifying shield decals and in 1931 with the development of a new chinstrap and liner system. Although helmet development was ongoing when AH came to power in 1933, the M16 and M18 helmets were still the main headgear worn by the Reichswehr. The helmets remained the same until March 1933 when the provincial shields were discontinued in favour of the national tri-color shield. In 1934 the national eagle shield was introduced, and both the tri-color and eagle shields were applied to the helmets. After the development of the new M35 helmet, the WWI helmets were still issued to second line and training troops well into WWII. The Austrian M16 was almost identical to the German version with the positioning of the chinstrap liner rivets being the most readily identifiable difference.