Two-tone/Bi-colored nets

Has anyone else noticed the drastic increase in the prices of these helmet nets? I watched two recent auctions on ebay that went into the $70 range. I've noticed that a lot of antique mall sellers have removed the nets from the helmets they have for sale as well.

I use to pick these up for $15-$25 each a while back, but now it looks like they are finally drying up.

I get constant guest messages here on the forum asking me to sell them too...looks like we better hang on to what we have left.

Actually, I've noticed this trend going on for a few years now. Especially with online auctions. They don't seem to be too rare yet but like everything else there are more collectors and the supply is dwindling. The price of helmets has increased dramatically from 10 years ago as well...

When I first joined the military in 1978, the WWII bi-coloured nets were still being issued and worn with the WWII vintage M1 Helmets and the Vietnam vintage US reversable helmet covers we were wearing.

Even in the surplus stores back then the bi-coloured nets were a buck, and WWII vintage Mk II helmets as well as any US M1s available were in the $6.00 to $10.00 range.

Supply has long out-stripped demand and I would expect that this trend will continue.

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Good bit of info gents and Ias well have noticed the hike in prices on the two tone net over the last few years .
For what ever reason I notice more of the earlier 1 variation woven nets come up for sale than the later war knotted.
Ed in your first image you show scrim attached ie...burlap and I assume strips of oilcloth (america cloth) is it safe to assume that is what the latter is.

Regards Mark

Yes, this is my helmet that I used from 1978-1982. During the summer of 1979 I was part of the militia demonstration company and at one point we were given rolls of oilcloth and hessian in order to add some scrim to our helmets. The oilcloth may have been from the 1940s or 1950s. It was during this time as well that we were also handed the new chinstraps and told to replace our existing ones with the newer model.

Thanks for the speedy response Ed I have a fairly nice two tone in my collection on a 42 C.L./C. that is adorned with hessian and green and brown oil cloth and I as well was under the impression that the oil cloth was from war time or very early post war military stores As I have up to this point seen very few post war images of oil cloth being used on helmets that post date the late 1950's l will post up my example in the next couple of days.

Regards Mark

My found my bicolor net in a surplus for 30$ !

Now a days $30.00 Cdn is a good price for a two tone in decent condition I purchased a minty one last year for $50.00 to add to my net displays the only one I am missing now is an early war brown khaki net I managed to acquire an early lime green woven net a couple of months back from a friend in the UK.

Regards Mark

I did not realize that they are now so collectable.

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Nice collection of nets there Ed and yes highly collectible now I have a lot of collector friends in the UK and Europe and the two tone net is considered a prize possession to have in ones collection and a lot of them will source the net in anticipation of purchasing a helmet as they are getting increasingly harder to find.
They are considered a must have piece if one has a Canadian Mk II as they are so iconic of the Canadian Combat helmet during WW II .

Regards Mark

quite a selection of nets Ed, here is a photo of some US Rangers around the time of the Dieppe raid wearing two tone nets one their Kelly 1917A1 helmets, I would like to find a hessian cover one day too

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You and me both John I as well would like to add a hessian cover to my collection very hard to come by.

Regards Mark

I managed to get this item a few years ago.   I think I have enough garnish to last me a little while.

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Bravo Ed a very nice pick up indeed a first for me to see it in the original W.T. packaging.

Regards Mark

That is a great find Ed.

Here is my favorite net fitted to a DR for show. A very effective camo effect IMO.

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Nice nets guy's! I wish I would have bought more when they were plentiful and cheap.

I've had this one for a long time.  It is a two tone net with Marine duck hunter camo screen strips used as scrim. I bought it and the beat up M1 helmet it was on in Wyoming in 2001. In the pics it is on a MkIII.

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Interesting camo net displays gents I must say I am rather fond of the oil cloth scrim and hessian here are a couple from my collection .
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Regards Mark