Odd, vintage, thin fiberglass army helmets, Jewish Guild Blind liners....any ideas?

[silverdollarbill]

I picked these up a few weeks back. They are made of thin fiberglass. One is really small, so I at first thought they were kids helmets. However, the liners look authentic and are marked "Jewish Guild Blind", which I was able to look up.

The person I receive them from, said he would were them as a kid, so they are at least 35-40 years old.

Any ideas what they are? Why would anyone make helmets out of thin fiberglass? Are there rare/value?

 

[galenrog]

Not a helmet. It is a helmet liner.

Time for more coffee.

 

[silverdollarbill]

Not a helmet. It is a helmet liner.

Time for more coffee.

Wait...so the actual metal helmet would be worn on top of this? I've never seen this before.

 

[Rodbuster209]

Wait...so the actual metal helmet would be worn on top of this? I've never seen this before.

Yes, steel pot goes over the top.

 

[diggummup]

That webbing is funny looking. Someone was trying to make it look like a helmet instead of a liner I would assume.

 

[galenrog]

The helmet liner and headband are issue. There appears to be a bit of damage. The netting looks home made. From a fishing net, perhaps.

I gave a bunch of these to the grandkids. Children are very inventive and imaginative. They girls don’t even play soldier.

Just finished today’s last coffee.

 

[silverdollarbill]

Ok...this all makes sense. Didn't know there was fiberglass liners. The decoration on the outside/netting is from guy who as a kid played with them. Thanks everyone.

 

[tamrock]

Back in 2013 there was a shopping cart full of military helmets at this TS and I picked up one I thought was a WW1 German helmet. Thanks to treasue net, it was identified as a Irish civil defense helmet from WW2. I sold it for around $280.00 I believe to a buyer in Europe. Ya just never know what you can find out there in the used market. When I walk into an antique shop I'm often asked is there anything in particular I can help you find. I always simply say, I'm on the hunt for the "deal of the century" and hopefully I will find it here. I'm still looking for that.
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/w...german-wwi-helmet-military-advice-needed.html

 

[sprailroad]

Wait...so the actual metal helmet would be worn on top of this? I've never seen this before.

Yup...the "steel pot" would fit over the liner. The "steel pot" could be used for just that, a pot, boil water, wash in, carry blackberries in, etc. etc. First time we wore one in basic training, they seemed sooo heavy. Used durning WWII, Korea, Vietnam. Military Honor Guards etc. wear the liners, light weight. I even had one painted white as a "Safety Patrol Boy" about 1960. (Kid crossing guard) (How did we NOT get run over). Helmets today are a whole different animal.

 

[diggummup]

By the way, yours is dated 1978. Pull that net and masking tape off of it. It does nothing for it.

 

[tamrock]

By the way, yours is dated 1978. Pull that net and masking tape off of it. It does nothing for it.

I'm thinking that kind of bothers you, huh? Could go well at a Halloween party dressed up as a sniper.

 

[Jimir]

Silverdollarbill
If you unclip the leather sweatband there should be an ink stamp on the green webbing attached to the liner. I can see part of it under the sweatband in your photo. This stamp will have something like, Soldiers Steel Helmet Liner and a date of manufacture. Yours is a 60’s era liner. The leather sweatband being detachable was probably added at a later date and it was made as mentioned in 1978. If you move the webbing to one side you will see a molding stamped into the top/crown of the liner. This will identify the manuafacturer which I suspect could be Firestone. If so you will see a stylised F stamped into the liner, if it’s a M and some numbers it’s made by Marmac, or a different logo may indicate that it could be Westington House.