United States. A First War American Manufactured M1917 Camouflage Helmet

American-made, steel, non-magnetic, rough sandpaper-like surface, camouflage painted in red, yellow, green and black. The protective edge of the helmet in a magnetic steel. Inside, leather-framed cradle supporting a blackened canvas liner with underlying burlap support and gray protective pressed fabric forehead pad, mesh support with drawstring, the underside of the liner maker stamped in black ink "Ord. Dept." (Ordnance Department) with the adjacent text illegible, all within a ruled box. The steel itself was rolled by the American Sheet and Tin Plate Company and stamped "ZB53" ("ZB" indicating the heat number and "53" the shipping number) on the underside of the helmet at the front, with pressed fabric in the dome. The leather chin strap remains relatively supple and has experienced separation and wear, the helmet with its original hardware. It measures 285 mm x 310 mm x 110 mm, exhibiting scattered contact marks on the exterior and rust spots on the interior skirt, very light wear evident on the liner, as worn. 

 

Footnote: The American helmet is nearly identical to the British Mark I helmet. The difference between the two helmets is the rivet securing the chinstrap loop to the helmet, the lack of the rubber "doughnut" in the liner, and the properties of the steel used to manufacture the M1917 helmet shell. Also, the M1917 helmet had a heavier sandpaper texture than the British Mark I. After the Armistice, many doughboys personalized their helmets with various painted designs. This included division insignia, patriotic motifs, and camouflage. This helmet is an example of a camouflage scheme based on German helmet camouflage patterns.