RESERVED (vad) Rugged, Classic Combat Waffen-SS M35 by Quist
$9,500.00
The reason I collect SS helmets is because they always tell a story. The political nature of the formation of the SS, their struggles to obtain status as a true combat organization; their lack of access to the mainstream Wehrmacht supply system– all of these factors come into play with original examples. This makes the study of them fascinating, as they all are unique, and tell their own story. In this case, this SS helmet is a fine, Q66 M35, #21054, showing the darker grey-green of Quist 1939 products. The expected ‘blue-green’ liner retaining rivets are also present. Here the history of this piece begins: The heat lot number shows up in the comparative analysis Ice reference as SS. Looking at the helmet, the finish is service worn, as are the liner and strap. The issue Quist SS decal has been covered at least once, by a (beautiful, classic) CA Pocher runic shield on the right side. This shield shows the fine age and features of the Pocher type decal. Where the party shield would be on the left side is an area where the decal was removed per the 1940 specifications, wherein manufacturers and units were told to go to single shields on helmets. In this case, the scraped decal shows signs of being possibly another SS runic shield, given that the remnants of what was removed is mostly silver and black, with no ready indication of the red and white of a party shield (which undoubtedly existed there when this helmet was new). What this possibly means, based on similar examples, is this might have been a ‘double rune’ M35, in a unit like SS-2 ,,Germania” which could explain the multiple decals on the right side as well (existing examples of double runic helmets tend to show this). Regardless, the expected scrape is present, and the helmet was used extensively throughout its service life in the SS. Some collectors like camos, some like mint specimens; I like the helmets that tell their own version of “the history of the SS” story. COA accompanies.
