A Single Decal M40 Wehrmacht Heer Helmet by V.D. Nickelwerke; Bullet Damaged

This is a textbook example of a Wehrmacht Heer (Army) Helmet that belonged to a fortunate soldier named Ludwig. It is crafted out of a sheet of molybdenum steel (magnetic), with its original apple-green paint on the interior and exterior of the helmet. It features stamped air vents and a rolled/crimped rim along the entire helmet, making this a signature M40 style helmet. The interior originally featured an eight-panel butterscotch leather liner, each with five stamped ventilation holes, and an additional hole at the top for the drawstring to be fed through. However, now, one of the panels appears completely torn off, with further cracking and tearing in some of the other panels. The drawstring is constructed of twisted/embroidered white string, and appears to be original to the helmet. The chin strap is constructed of leather that is stained/oiled to a rich black colour, with its original metal hardware, and is securely fastened to the metal frame within the helmet. The underside of the skirt is stamped, however, it is also named “Ludwig”, thus making the stampings difficult to decipher. It is also stamped “NS64” on the left side of the interior for “Vereinigte Deutsche Nikelwerke” manufacture and size “64”. Uniquely, this helmet depicts a very clear dent on the right side of the helmet, approximately 3 cm beside the air vent, of a low-caliber bullet impact, making Ludwig, it’s wearer, an incredibly fortunate soldier. The helmet measures 284 mm x 223 mm. The exterior paint is moderately well preserved, with obvious signs of wear in the form of paint chips and light scratches/dents, as well as light oxidation of the metal. The Wehrmacht helmet decal on the left side of the helmet is approximately 30% intact. The interior of the paint is equally well preserved, with some discolouration from oxidation. The liner is partially ripped, with obvious cracking in the leather, and with some staining - whether blood or perspiration is unknown. Overall, this helmet is in near very fine condition.