Preservation & Display
Helmet Care
As a 100-plus year-old piece of history, excessive
handling of any of Great War helmet is to be avoided. The oils on your fingers
will eventually give the helmet an unnatural sheen. This is why so many helmets
which should otherwise have matte paint, are now reflective. Protect your
investment with some white cotton gloves and wear them whenever you must touch
a helmet.
Helmets should always be kept in
a climate-controlled environment, away from direct sun and humidity. You should
gently dust your helmets from time to time; pressurized air of the kind used to
dust computer keyboards works reasonably well for this, but be sure to keep the
nozzle far enough away from the helmet, as condensation will eventually form
and produce some moisture.
Do not apply anything to the
helmet shell or attempt to clean it unless it is extremely grimy, in which case I’ve been advised that a little Fantastic® (only) may be used. In any
case, do not scrub the helmet – you will destroy its patina.
Proper care of leather liners is
the subject of much debate in the collector communities of both Great War and
WWII helmets. I am strongly of the opinion that under most circumstances,
nothing should be applied to a liner to
“preserve” or “protect” it. Liners that are excessively dry or rotting cannot
be restored anyway and you risk further damage to it and the helmet shell as
well should you accidently get any of the leather treatment on the paint. Many
expound upon the virtues of Pecard®
Antique Leather Dressing, and it may well be helpful in certain situations.
But in general you are usually better off just leaving well-enough alone.
You must consider that a Great
War helmet’s life as a protective article of clothing has long since passed
and, therefore, it no longer must be in active service condition. Allow it to
retire gracefully to a place of honor where you can admire it and
reflect on the man who wore it.
Display
Once you have invested in a helmet,
you will want to display it properly. In my opinion, a helmet should not be
just sat on a shelf. This displays the helmet too low. If instead the helmet is
displayed at head-and-neck height, one gets a much better impression of the
helmet as it was worn by the soldier and in this way serves to better honor his
memory. This can be accomplished through the use of either a stand or a mannequin
head.
For some helmets, particularly
German Stalhelme and Pickelhauben, care should be taken to keep the weight of
the helmet off the liner. In such cases, a stand is the better choice. I like
to use candlesticks, a great variety of which are available at Hobby Lobby or
Pier 1 Imports, etc., for either a modern or more classically-styled display. With
some slight modifications –paint and something for the helmet to rest on, they
can be very effective. The key is to allow the helmet to sit at the same height
and angle as it would have when worn.
The effect is much more dynamic than simply having the helmet sit flat. A finished
wooden base completes the display.
Avoid placing the chinstrap
across the front visor, as many collectors do. Long-term this is very bad for
the strap and could even affect the paint on the visor over time. Just let it
hang down and allow its ovoid shape to suggest the soldier’s face.
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| These were $15-$20 |