Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very rare 1st Pattern NSKK Crash Helmet, complete with its original liner and strap. The helmet is made of molded, smooth, blackened leather helmet with raised, padded, protective bars running horizontally around the helmets bottom edge, and another one running from front to back over the crown top. It features perforated domed steel vents on each side, instead of the later mesh vents.
The Front center of the helmet features a first pattern nickel alloy Reichsadler national eagle, with no NSKK marking. The eagle is still held in its correct position. Helmet has a short blackened leather visor stitched to front and stitched on, extended, grained, brown leather, protective side and rear panels. The side panels have extended straps to the bottoms which act as the chinstrap, and both have the leather “ear covers” with openings on the rear to protect against wind noise, but still allow the wearer to hear. The interior of the helmet has a tan leather, nine finger liner. The liner is fully intact with all fingers and its original tie string. The rear neck flap is in good shape, is still supple, and does not have any tearing that we can see.
The liner is ink stamped 55 for the size along with a district stamp which is not very legible. Schretzmeier 4M56 is written in purple on the liner. There is no RZM tag on the helmet. The overall condition does show some light wear, but the helmet is overall very untouched and without many serious flaws. The leather of the straps show some light cracking but nothing is at first of breakage. The buckle still functions well.
A very nice example of a very hard to find helmet with some great honest period wear and great markings! Ready to research and display!