Austrian Stahlhelm mod. 1916 "square dip"

[Zebedeus]

We might call it beginner's luck, but about 30 years ago also I bought my first helmet of the great World War. This is an austrian helmet mod. 1916 of german production by company Eisenhüttenwerke AG Thale, Thale / Harz size 66. As you can see from the comparison with the mod. 1917 is a square dip
It 'is well known that Germany has sold initially to allied Austria some matches of helmets (during all the war about 500,000). The first forniture of german stahlhelms had leather chinstraps and apple green colour. In the second forniture the unpainting german shells were repainted by the Austrians in the typical brown color. The austrians also applied them their cloth chin straps that were fixed with metal hooks adapters attack mod. 1891.
Now some pictures:

 

[Zebedeus]

Some further images o the righ helm.

I hope you appreciate this helmet

 

[Zebedeus]

Today in north Italy there is a bad weather. It's raining and so I added this pictures.

This helmet show some particular details.
1 The brown painting seems to paint first in fabric. I have not detected the presence of any feldgrau staining below.

2 It has an uncommon cloth khaki chinstrap in two pieces with metal buckle and twelve metal eyelets (first pattern).

3 It keeps the two rivets securing the chinstrap low (German model), but these have internally a metal attack from the Austrian model.
4 The rim is the Austrian metal type, while the interior has three flaps of white leather as later german and austrian model.

 

[Zebedeus]

5 On top and internal of the metal shell is stamped BD119. I have no idea what it indicate.
6 On the internal left ground it shows the punch ET 66, the mark of the producer and the size.

6 On the internal left ground it shows the punch ET 66, the mark of the producer and the size.
7 In front of the helmet is painted a white skull and crossbones on black substrate.

I know from my research after the war a number of Austrian helmets were reused by the Italians Arditi (Assault troops) retired daring who formed the vanguard of first team action of the nascent fascist movement.
These pick up on these helmets (usually painted black) , the skull and crossbones in white paint.
If anyone has further information I would be happy to share.
Sorry for my bad english . Giorgio

 

[Stahlhelm]

I don't collect Austrian helmets, but I find it interesting that the helmet has the Austrian variant chinstrap mounts. If this helmet was among the later batches sent from Germany that were painted and furnished by the K.u.K., it's odd that the liner would be German made - it looks like a German M17 liner with chrome tanned sheepskin pads, and not at all like a wartime Austrian liner. It's the first time I recall seeing this configuration. It would be interesting to see more pictures of the underside of the liner pads as well as the liner band.

The shell itself is not an early square dip however. It's a regular E.T. shell. Judging by the smelting lot number in the dome (BD119), it is unlikely that it was even manufactured during 1916, but more likely in 1917. It's certainly not an early helmet.

Hans