M15 Adrian (France)
Casque
du Modèle Général – Infantry
Manufacturer: Les Establissements Japy (note lack of side rivets, which is unique to this manufacturer).
Notes: As you can see from the below photographs, the condition of this helmet is truly exceptional. The French M15 Adrian, while not at all rare, is a particularly difficult helmet to find in high-grade condition. As I've long said: A common helmet in uncommon condition is a rare helmet.
Pay particular attention to the paint: this is the original, factory Horizon Blue color in the gloss finish that was used only on the very first production helmets. Almost every M15 Adrian you will ever find will have been painted-over with a much darker midnight blue at some point during the War. I can only assume that the owner, undoubtedly an officer, preferred this color (who can blame him?) and wore a cloth cover for the entirety of the War or was otherwise killed outright shortly after receiving the helmet. I certainly hope for the former. The infantry badge is also an exceptionally crisp strike, again likely indicating an early manufacture date and the black leather liner is of the first-pattern, 7-finger type (size B1). The private-purchase chinstrap is of braided leather in the officers' style.
Private-purchase officers'-style braided leather chinstrap:
Note the above Plaquette Souvenir: "Soldat de la Grande Guerre 1914-1918" (Soldier of the Great War) veterans' visor in brass, issued mid-1919 to all veterans, living or dead, to be engraved with the soldier's name and rank and affixed to the top of the helmet's visor with brass rivets.
This helmet was acquired through eBay and came from a seller in England. The details are worth noting: The seller had established an opening bid about 50% higher than what would be the typical going rate for an average-condition French infantry M15 Adrian. However, given the difficulty in finding helmets of this quality, and an officer's example at that, I felt the price was more than reasonable -a steal, in fact. I made up my mind to get it.
As it happened (and has happened before to me on other auctions for what I consider important pieces), I was the only bidder. Why? I can only guess that the description of the helmet didn't well-state the originality of the helmet's condition and many potential bidders who might not have been familiar with this early Horizon Blue finish and the condition thereof might have thought the helmet had been repainted.
I often talk about arming yourself with as much knowledge as possible -in this hobby it's a must. On page 166 of The History of the Steel Helmet in the First World War, Volume 1, can be found a photo of an artillery helmet in the same rare color and finish (in fact, of the same manufacturer). If not for this, I too may have thought it a repaint. For more information on this helmet, please see The Adrian.
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Manufacturer: Les Establissements Japy (note lack of side rivets, which is unique to this manufacturer).
Notes: As you can see from the below photographs, the condition of this helmet is truly exceptional. The French M15 Adrian, while not at all rare, is a particularly difficult helmet to find in high-grade condition. As I've long said: A common helmet in uncommon condition is a rare helmet.
Pay particular attention to the paint: this is the original, factory Horizon Blue color in the gloss finish that was used only on the very first production helmets. Almost every M15 Adrian you will ever find will have been painted-over with a much darker midnight blue at some point during the War. I can only assume that the owner, undoubtedly an officer, preferred this color (who can blame him?) and wore a cloth cover for the entirety of the War or was otherwise killed outright shortly after receiving the helmet. I certainly hope for the former. The infantry badge is also an exceptionally crisp strike, again likely indicating an early manufacture date and the black leather liner is of the first-pattern, 7-finger type (size B1). The private-purchase chinstrap is of braided leather in the officers' style.
Note the above Plaquette Souvenir: "Soldat de la Grande Guerre 1914-1918" (Soldier of the Great War) veterans' visor in brass, issued mid-1919 to all veterans, living or dead, to be engraved with the soldier's name and rank and affixed to the top of the helmet's visor with brass rivets.
This helmet was acquired through eBay and came from a seller in England. The details are worth noting: The seller had established an opening bid about 50% higher than what would be the typical going rate for an average-condition French infantry M15 Adrian. However, given the difficulty in finding helmets of this quality, and an officer's example at that, I felt the price was more than reasonable -a steal, in fact. I made up my mind to get it.
As it happened (and has happened before to me on other auctions for what I consider important pieces), I was the only bidder. Why? I can only guess that the description of the helmet didn't well-state the originality of the helmet's condition and many potential bidders who might not have been familiar with this early Horizon Blue finish and the condition thereof might have thought the helmet had been repainted.
I often talk about arming yourself with as much knowledge as possible -in this hobby it's a must. On page 166 of The History of the Steel Helmet in the First World War, Volume 1, can be found a photo of an artillery helmet in the same rare color and finish (in fact, of the same manufacturer). If not for this, I too may have thought it a repaint. For more information on this helmet, please see The Adrian.