Spring Military Aviation and Militaria Auction
Lot 260:
Description
A fine and completely original World War II German Army M40 combat helmet, factory produced by Eisenh?ttenwerke Thale and stamped ET64 with lot number 1221. This example retains its single Heer decal beneath a thick field-applied tropical camouflage finish, characteristic of helmets worn by troops of the Deutsches Afrikakorps and later Mediterranean-based formations. The exterior presents an attractive mustard-tan over field-gray camouflage scheme, executed in the subdued tones associated with North African and southern European service. The paint shows excellent period wear, with the underlying factory finish and decal visible through natural abrasion and age. Approximately half of the eagle-and-swastika decal remains intact and legible, with fine detail under the surviving overpaint layer.The interior retains its original liner and chinstrap assembly. The leather liner, showing service use and age-toning, remains complete and structurally stable, seated within its original aluminum liner band with wartime rivets intact. The chinstrap shows light edge wear and patina consistent with age. The rear skirt of the shell is marked with the factory and lot stamps, confirming early to mid-war production by Thale.Overall, the helmet remains in very good untouched condition, with no evidence of postwar restoration or overpaint. Its authentic field-applied DAK camouflage, combined with a surviving decal and fully original liner system, makes this an excellent and highly desirable example of a German tropical combat helmet. Helmets retaining genuine period-applied tan camouflage are scarce and among the most visually striking of all Wehrmacht field-worn items, representing the harsh campaigns fought under the desert and Mediterranean sun.
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