Spain, Spanish State. An Officer’s Parade Helmet, by Casa Yustas, c. 1941

A rare German-style Spanish Army Officer’s parade helmet, constructed of an apple green-painted vulcanfibre/pasteboard shell. The exterior of the helmet is flanked on each side by an integral ventilation hole, while five rivets are distributed around the outer circumference, securing the interior fixtures in place. Rivet to the peak is a Spanish Army insignia consisting of a bronze, crowned national eagle overlaid by red-painted Latin Cross. The interior features a brown leather sweatband from which emanates six brown leatherette fingers, each perforated at the top with an eyelet through which is looped a period original drawstring Also emanating from the sweatband hardware is an intact black leather chinstrap, adjusted with a functional magnetic metal buckle meeting six eyelets. The crown is encompassed by a pressed fibre liner retaining a pristine maker’s label. The former reads “CASA YUSTAS S.A., MADRID”, indicating manufacture by the established hat purveyor and manufacturer located since its inception at Plaza Mayor 30. It also bears handwritten initials “M.B.” and “M.B.M.”. Additional handwritten initials “M.B.M.” are inscribed on the reverse of the chinstrap. Finally, a sticker bearing a size mark of “57” is affixed to the back of the sweatband. The helmet measures approximately 226 mm (w) 280 mm (l) x 140 mm (h). The exterior demonstrates moderate scratching, there is a 35 mm-long crack to the vulcanfibre directly beneath one of the left side rivets, and minor fatigue is evident to the chinstrap. The helmet is in an overall better than very fine condition.