Original Item: Only One Available. In 1916, the French military began experimenting with copying and upgrading the GM15. Originally the prototype that would become the ARS, known as the MCG, had a faceblank made from a layer of rubberized cloth and no Tissot deflectors. Because of fogging and the inability of the mask to resist tear gas, the MCG was updated to include Tissot deflectors and a backing of cloth boiled in linseed oil. Also added to the MCG was the same head harness as that on the M2.
This is a fantastic example of a French ARS gas mask which was made wartime from a German M1917 Ledermaske. This was often done with captured German masks towards the end of the war. The German mask has been converted to take a French ARS Filter and the leather has been resealed. The mask has some stamps, some French and some German, and the filter is stamped HLW and marked N261. These masks are very difficult to find, being a true captured conversion.
The included canister is in fantastic shape with its original carrying strap still attached. The top of the canister is stamped MAM23 as these often were. A Fantastic example of a captured German French gas mask, ready for further research and display!