Original Imperial German WWI M18 Stahlhelm Helmet - Shell Size 66

100% authentic WW1 manufacture with maker markings.

Sizing- Helmet Shell Size 66 (liner size 59-60, US 7 3/8 - US 7 1/2)

In an amazing victory for the collecting community IMA secured an exclusive deal to purchase a major cache of totally original German World War One helmets that were us by the Imperial German army from 1916 through 1918. After the war these helmets were sold to the Finnish Army and used by the Finns through WW2 the Winter War, the Continuation War until the 1960s when they were taken out of service and put into military storage. Forty years later, in the early 2000s, all of these genuine German WW1 helmets were purchased by a Finnish dealer who, in 2014, sold them all exclusively to IMA. Therefore, the provenance of these amazing nearly 100 year-old, helmets cannot be disputed.

What is the difference between an M16, M17 and M18 helmet? There is no distinction between an M16 and M17 shell. The term M17 refers only to the liner band. M16 helmets first were produced with leather banded liners and later were produced with M17 steel banded liners. The shell remained the same during this transition. The M18 helmet shell differed from the M16 due to the chinstrap mountings. On the M16 helmet, the chinstrap mounts by means of the same M1891 post mounts as found on early and pre-war pickelhaube spiked helmets. The M18 shell eliminated these M1891 posts and the chinstrap mount was affixed directly to the metal-banded liner. (In the collecting world, there is much confusion regarding this but actually it is quite simple) Therefore, there are only these three shell models; M16, M18 and the rare M18 "ear cut out".

Every German M18 helmet will be 100% original and will have the following notable features-

Maker s code with size marking 66 stamped on the interior of the shell found over the wearer s left ear. Maker s codes vary (see chart below) and all will be genuine WW1!

Correct original air ventilation lugs.