Item Description
Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice example of a U.S. Marine Corps M1917 "Doughboy" helmet, which appears to have been field repainted during or after WWI. Marine Corps helmets from this era are very hard to come by, in any condition. This example is complete with a complete liner and broken chinstrap, and still has original period OD Green textured paint on the shell interior. More importantly, the front still has a genuine bronze WWI USMC EGA Badge!
The shell is maker marked with a stamping on the underside of the rim that reads ZC 203. This maker marking indicates that this is a U.S. produced shell, which is further indicated by the solid rivets used to retain the chin strap bales.
The outer shell has been repainted with a nice OD green color, however it definitely has degraded over the years, and has a lot of checking and crazing. Possibly a field repaint for a worn helmet that went a bit wrong. The liner is in quite nice shape, with a very good oil cloth liner, and intact felt top pad, with the original label still partly legible. The chin strap is present, but broken with some missing, which is fairly typical for leather of this age.
This is an wonderful RARE example of a genuine USMC Great War helmet, ready to display!
History of the M1917 Helmet:
The M1917 was the US Army's first modern combat helmet, used from 1917 and during the 1920s, before being replaced by the M1917A1. The M1917A1 helmet was an updated version of the M1917 and initially used refurbished WW1 shells.
The M1917 is a near identical version of the British MkI steel helmet, and it is important to note that when the US joined the Great War in 1917 they were initially issued with a supply of around 400,000 British made Mk.Is, before production began state side. The M1917 differed slightly in its lining detail, and exhibited US manufacture markings.
M1917 helmet liners typically show a paper label at the crown and the dome rivet head. The liner is set up as on the British versions, with an oilcloth band and net configuration, attached to a leather strap, riveted to the shell. The chinstrap is leather with steel buckle.
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