Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very good condition Genuine WWI Austro-Hungarian Model 1917 helmet with an original standard Olive Green / Brown "Isonzo braun" paint. The paint is well retained, something we do not often see, as many of these helmets were repainted during the war or after. The helmet is missing some of the liner as shown, which is deteriorated as well. It also has a mostly complete canvas chin strap, which is missing the buckle on the end. All three liner split pins are intact, with the correct thicker pin in the rear.

Above the left ear interior of the apron of the shell has a stamped manufacturer's code and size BGB 66, which indicates manufacture by Brüder Gottlieb u. Brauchbar Brünn, located in Brünn, Czechia. This company produced shells in size 66 only during WWI. Size 66 is a nice large size that can accommodate liners from 58cm to 60cm or US 7 1/4 to 7 1/2. Size 66 shells are always hard to find and are therefore more valuable to a collector. The rear of the shell is also marked Achterberg in marker, which could be a name, or the location it was purchased, as this is the name of a small town in the Netherlands.

The rolling mill code is on the outside of the crown on Austro-Hungarian M17 helmets, which is easily painted over. However, with the original paint, there is still a large letter C marking, which is an unidentified rolling mill. The shell also retains both of the extended ventilation side lugs, which are the correct short version without any step for the larger size 66 shell. This would ensure proper installation of a "Stirnpanzer" brow plate regardless of shell size.

This is a great chance to pick up a very nice Austro-Hungarian "Great War" helmet, still in the original issued configuration. Ready to add to your WWI collection!

The Central Powers of Austria-Hungary used, manufactured and commissioned, variations of the World War One German Stahlhelm M16 design. The Austrian M1917 helmet was similar to the German M1916, but had a few variations including the chinstrap,, chinstrap rivets located higher up on the steel shell and variations in locations of markings among others.

Early Austrian helmets were supplied by Germany, the first shells supplied as the chinstrap rivets were mounted in a lower position. The Austrians fitted their own chinstrap bales, chinstraps and liner and painted them in Austrian Isonzo braun. These modifications were carried out with German machinery at the"Adolf Westen di Cilli factory, which is now Celije, in Slovenia.

Austro-Hungarian WWI Helmets Makers-

There are only 9 known factories that produced helmets during WWI for the KUK. Unlike the Germans the Austrian pattern helmet are often found without factory stamps and heating lot codes. When the heating lot codes are present it is often on the outer top dome of the helmet instead of the inside. The following is a table of Manufactures codes of helmets produced by the Austrians. Several of these makers did not stamp the code into the shell of the helmet but rather marked them with an ink stamp. Therefore many Austrian shells will be encountered today that seem to have no maker mark as the ink stamp has worn off, but most will have rolling mill codes.

Maker Name Factory Location Maker code Sizes Model

A. Westen Cilli Celie, Slovenia AW 64 M17

Brüder Gottlieb u. Brauchbar Brunn BGB 66 M17

C. A. Scholtz,Mateocz Sloeakei CAS 66 M17

Berndorfer Metal-Warenfabrik Berndorf, Austria "Bear" logo 66,64

Bruder Lapp, Rottenman u. Warcholowsky Unknown ? M17

Nadrag,Transilvania Transylvania Unknown ? M17

Resicka, Transylvania Transylvania Unknown ? M17

Bleckmann & Poldihutte Klando Boemia Unknown x Stirnpanzer

Gebruder Bohler & Co., Kapfen Austria, Stiria GB "Star" 66 M17

Rolling Mills Marker Code

Ludwikow L

Bleckmann B

Poldi P