Gustafson's

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[Gustafson's @GustafsonsCo]

With a lot number of 504B and green painted steel A-washers, this original WWII U.S. M-1 helmet set approximately dates from mid-1943.

It is among numerous historical objects coming to https://t.co/76b7eNfHqA during our next update.

Until then, we wish you all a Happy Independence Day as we celebrate our semiquincentennial anniversary of America’s founding! 🇺🇸

[Gustafson's @GustafsonsCo]

New arrivals now available at https://t.co/yFbLYRBmkC.

[Gustafson's @GustafsonsCo]

Early M-1 helmet production was plagued with quality control issues, such as the cracking of the steel sheets upon forming the helmets' shape, which necessitated further testing.

"When tests were authorized, the pressing concern would receive the sheets from the mill assigning the heat a standard lot and lift designation with the addition of a number after the alpha suffix to segregate the lot from the control" (Giles 261).

This example from McCord Radiator & Manufacturing Co. was assigned the additional number "3" after the lot's "C" alpha suffix.

It is among dozens of new arrivals coming to the https://t.co/76b7eNfHqA Buy Now Marketplace during tomorrow’s noon (CST) update.

[Gustafson's @GustafsonsCo]

George Petavine Jr. was born on December 15, 1912, in New Orleans, Louisianna. On January 28, 1943, Petavine enlisted in the U.S. Army in Sacramento, California. He served in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations with the 331st Signal Company, Wing. He survived the war and eventually attained the rank of corporal. He died on December 17, 1994, at the age of 82 and is buried at East Lawn Memorial Park in Sacramento, California.

Tomorrow, his original WWII U.S. Army M1928 haversack kit will be available in https://t.co/76b7eNfHqA’s Field Gear category during our noon update.

Want to be notified via email when it (and all future updates) goes live? Join our newsletter (found in the site’s footer).

[Gustafson's @GustafsonsCo]

Here is a seldomly encountered M-1 helmet liner configuration from Seaman Paper Co. of Chicago, Illinois.

With its non-painted steel A-washers and folded ends on the neck support, this piece approximates dates to late-1942.

It is among dozens of new arrivals coming to https://t.co/76b7eNfHqA’s Helmets & Parts category during our next update.

[Gustafson's @GustafsonsCo]

https://t.co/76b7eNgfg8 has become globally recognized for its exceptional selection of original WWII helmets.

Our next update will include not only an original M-2 “D-bail” paratrooper helmet, but something far rarer.

This late-war M-1 helmet was manufactured by the third and least common helmet producer - Parish-Reading of Reading, Pennsylvania. With a production window spanning from just June to August of 1945, Parish-Reading helmets account for less than half of 1% of all M-1 helmets produced during WWII.

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WWII collecting on a shoestring budget?

Original leather liner chinstraps are not just rare today; observant collectors may also notice they rarely appear in wartime photographs. Constructed of thin leather, under tension, and exposed to the elements, they did not survive long during the war either.

This M-1 helmet liner’s original owner substituted a section of GI shoelace to replace his damaged or missing leather liner chinstrap.

[Gustafson's @GustafsonsCo]

It’s always a great day at Gustafson’s when we have the opportunity to photograph an original WWII U.S. M-2 “D-bail” paratrooper helmet.

These differ from the standard infantry M-1 helmet by their two semi-circular “D”-shaped chinstrap loops (missing on this example).

Although damaged, authenticity can still be confirmed by examining the remaining “feet” of the original loops. Original M-2 welds have a distance of 36 millimeters, whereas standard M-1 welds are only 31 millimeters apart. M-2 feet have a distinctive shape that the M-1 lacks. The M-1’s loops are also made out of stainless steel, whereas the M-2’s loops are not. Due to limited production numbers, the design flaw, as well as having to endure a war, original M-2 helmets are incredibly scarce.

This piece will be added to Gustafson’s during our next update, consisting of dozens of rare U.S. helmets and parts.

Want to be notified via email when this helmet (and all future updates) goes live? Visit https://t.co/76b7eNfHqA and join our newsletter (found in the site’s footer).

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Auction ends tonight at https://t.co/yFbLYRBmkC!

Haven’t bid yet?

Time is running out!

Dozens of lots with $1.00 opening bids and no reserves end tonight at 7:00 PM (CST)…

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Unlike their Korean War and WWII counterparts, Vietnam War M-1 helmet liners are marked with their date of production.

This example on auction at https://t.co/76b7eNfHqA is dated April 14, 1969, and comes complete with its original 1972-dated headband.

It is among dozens of lots in our Fifth Cold War Collection Auction. Haven’t joined yet? Place your bids before time runs out, tomorrow at 7:00 PM (CST).

[Gustafson's @GustafsonsCo]

$1.00 opening bids and no reserves is a staple at https://t.co/76b7eNfHqA.

That means if you’re the only bidder on a particular lot, you win your object with a $1.00 closing bid.

That’s the exact opportunity we have here with this original pre-Vietnam War U.S. M-1 helmet liner and several other lots ending this Sunday at 7:00 PM (CST).

Production of P55 helmet liners spanned from 1955 to 1963 and are instantly recognizable from their Korean War and WWII predecessors by the omission of the insignia eyelet hole at the front.

We look forward to seeing you at the auction!

[Gustafson's @GustafsonsCo]

Don’t let today’s collectibles market fool you.

WWII U.S. M-1 helmets were once abundant, with enough examples produced to outfit all
16.1 million American service members (with several millions still leftover).

These leftover M-1 helmets came in handy during both the Korean and Vietnam Wars, with the former being fought almost exclusively with WWII-era surplus equipment.

This helmet, with its light green sand-textured paint and bracket-applied chinstraps, was utilized during the Vietnam War but is in fact a WWII example produced by Schlueter Manufacturing Co. of St. Louis, Missouri, who only made helmets from 1943 to 1945.

It is among dozens of objects currently on the auction block at https://t.co/76b7eNfHqA. Capitalize on $1.00 opening bids and no reserves before the hammer falls this Sunday at 7:00 PM (CST).

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Painted atop this M-1 helmet liner’s original olive drab factory finish is a set of original sergeant's rank insignias, while the interior is identified to an apparent "WALES, R. E., RA19470805".

This piece was manufactured in 1952 by the Micarta Division of Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

It is among dozens of lots in our Fifth Cold War Collection Auction ending this Sunday at https://t.co/76b7eNfHqA.

Join now.

[Gustafson's @GustafsonsCo]

This Saturday, June 6th, marks the 82nd anniversary of the D-Day Invasion of Normandy, France.

Featured here are just a few of our original objects from the Normandy campaign.

Available only at https://t.co/yFbLYRBmkC.

[Gustafson's @GustafsonsCo]

Among several lots going live tonight at https://t.co/76b7eNfHqA is this original Korean War U.S. plain olive drab camouflage M-1 helmet cover.

These helmet covers were produced to the same specifications as the USMC Blue Anchor Overall Co., Inc. examples, but were instead constructed of the sateen cotton material that would go on to replace the herringbone twill (HBT) combat fatigues. Interestingly, the first shipment of 100,000 of these helmet covers was lost at sea when the SS Jacob Lukenbach sank while enroute to Pusan, Korea on July 14, 1953. Subsequent stockpiles were utilized during the Vietnam War by the Army, Marines and even the ARVN.

Lots with $1.00 opening bids and no reserves start tonight at 7:00 PM (CST).

[Gustafson's @GustafsonsCo]

Among dozens of lots coming up for auction at https://t.co/yFbLYRBmkC is this original pre-Vietnam War Armored Division Sergeant’s M-1 helmet liner.

Enjoy $1.00 opening bids and no reserves.

Bidding begins this Sunday, May 31st, at 7:00 PM (CST).

Join today.

[Gustafson's @GustafsonsCo]

$1.00 opening bids and no reserves.

https://t.co/yFbLYRBmkC’s Fifth Cold War Collection Auction is now open for preview and registration.

Bidding begins on Sunday, May 31st, at 7:00 PM (CST).

[Gustafson's @GustafsonsCo]

When it comes to collecting M-1 helmets, one liner manufacturer reigns supreme.

This original WWII U.S. M-1 helmet liner was produced by Inland Manufacturing Division, a subsidiary of General Motors Company located in Dayton, Ohio.

Many collectors consider Inland paratrooper liners to be the most rare variant from this producer. In all likelihood, Inlands with green painted steel A-washers are actually the least commonly encountered type.

In mid-1943, Inland shifted its focus to producing other war materiel, such as the M-1 Carbine, and sold all of its unfinished liner bodies to Firestone Tire and Rubber Company of Akron, Ohio, who then went on to complete them. As such, very few Inland liners are found with green painted steel A-washers, as the transition from non-painted steel A-washers occurred at the same time Inland stopped producing M-1 helmet liners.

Available only at https://t.co/76b7eNfHqA.

[Gustafson's @GustafsonsCo]

https://t.co/76b7eNfHqA wishes you all a safe and reflective Memorial Day weekend!

We will be updating our Buy Now Marketplace today at noon (CST) with several original objects from WWII, including this U.S. Army officer’s crusher cap identified to Captain Alfred W. Jones, O-278990.

Alfred Wright Jones was born on December 10, 1889, in North Adams, Massachusetts. Jones was a veteran of both WWI and WWII. Unfortunately, his WWI exploits are unknown to us at this time; however, during WWII he served In the Chemical Warfare Service, based at Camp Sibert in Alabama.

To be notified via email when it (and all future updates) goes live, join the Gustafson’s newsletter by entering your email in the site’s footer (link in bio).

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From 1941 to 1943, 100% of the M-1 helmets worn by American servicemen were made by a single producer - McCord Radiator & Manufacturing Co. of Detroit, Michigan. That all changed in January of 1943.

This original WWII U.S. front seam fixed loop M-1 helmet shell was manufactured by Schlueter Manufacturing Co. of St. Louis, Missouri. Its lot number is faintly stamped; however, we can discern that it was manufactured in late-1943 because Schlueter only produced fixed loops in that year and it introduced OD no. 7 (green) chinstraps just before production transitioned to swivel loops in November of 1943.

Schlueter produced helmets at a rate of approximately one for every ten McCords, making them highly desirable among today’s collectors. In fact, when this helmet is added to https://t.co/76b7eNfHqA’s Buy Now Marketplace this Saturday at noon (CST), it will be the first fixed loop Schlueter we have ever offered for sale.