Lot 482

WWII NAZI WEHRMACHT GERMAN TROPICAL PITH HELMET

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WWII NAZI WEHRMACHT GERMAN TROPICAL PITH HELMET

Estimate: $250 - $350

Starting Bid: $125

(0 Bids)

by Milestone Auctions
August 1, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Live Auction
38198 Willoughby Parkway
Willoughby, OH, US 44094

Second pattern pith helmet constructed in a one piece seamless formed olive-drab felt crown with a horizontal band stitched at the rear center and covered by a vertical strip of felt mounted on a formed cork base. The top center of the crown has a raised removable felt covered circular alloy knob with three semi-circular cut-out ventilation holes. The helmet features an all around extended visor which is somewhat shorter at the front and is constructed of one piece, seamless, formed olive-drab felt and trimmed with stitched on gray/green leather that shows wear. The helmet has two stamped aluminum shields with a national eagle to the left side and a national tri-color shield to the right side. The national eagle shield features a high relief embossed Wehrmacht style eagle with down-swept wings on a slightly textured black painted background field. The national tri-color shield features three diagonally angled bars in the colors of red, white, and black on a slightly textured background field. The bottom edge of the visor brim is lined in teal green felt and the interior crown is lined in red felt. The interior of the helmet has a wide, light tan leather sweatband which is secured in place by six small extended prongs with corresponding metal cotter retaining pins. Leather shows wear and loss The interior crown has an alloy grommet under the exterior top crown knob. Very Good. In late 1940, with the impending German entrance into the North African campaign, tropical uniforms, headgear and equipment were quickly developed and issued in time for DAK, Deutsches Afrika Korps, (German Africa Corps), personnel’s arrival in Tripoli in February 1941. One of the new headgear items introduced was the tropical pith helmet which was based on the design of the earlier Kriegsmarine pith helmet. On its introduction the pith helmet was constructed of a formed cork base with a cotton twill covering until a second pattern pith helmet was introduced with a formed cork base with a felt covering. The second pattern pith helmet followed the same basic design as the first pattern but was modified to ease production time and material costs. Wear of the pith helmets was extended to personnel serving in southern areas of continental Europe but the helmets proved ineffective and unpopular and manufacture was discontinued sometime in 1942.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $999 $25
$1,000 $1,999 $50
$2,000 $4,999 $100
$5,000 $9,999 $250
$10,000 $24,999 $500
$25,000 $49,999 $1,000
$50,000 $99,999 $2,500
$100,000 + $5,000