This is a French Model 1915 steel helmet manufactured for the Italians. These Italian export helmets were identical to the ones used by French armed forces but for the green paint and lack of holes to accommodate a frontal badge. Italian M15 helmets are not hard to find, but most were converted post-World War One by repainting and refitting with a new, differently configured Italian made liner. The reissued M15s were given new green died chinstraps. The one pictured here is an Italian M15 in its original WWI state. These are hard to find even in Italy. The liner is gone, but the aluminum spacers are still present. These were not used on post-war refurbished helmets. The chinstrap is an original WWI vintage French manufactured item, but is something that I added. The chinstrap is broken in one spot and repaired (see photos). The manufacturer’s partly legible stamp is visible in the dome of the helmet. This corresponds to le Jouet de Paris. Jouet produced helmets for Italian export late in the war. Italian M15s from this manufacturer are rare. The size stamps – 58 B2 -are visible in the dome as well. This would correspond to a medium.
$195 $145 SOLD + postage and transaction fees if any
Steel Helmets of the World Wars 