NNSH div. marked helmet

http://www.ebay.com/itm/WWII-Canadian-flashed-helmet-North-Nova-Scotia-Highlanders-/161070545058?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item25808d78a2

Could be wrong here, I will have to look it up. According to Tin Lids, the AP marked shells were rejected and allotted to civil defense use.

I am suspicious of any marked helmet for sale, especially as they seem to have become more prolific over the last five years and are now commanding big prices.

With the majority of collectors concentrating their efforts on the Second World War period this means that many do not realize or perhaps will not admit that quite a bit of WWII materiel was used by the Canadian Army well into the late 1960s and early 1970s. In the case of Mk II helmets, the Canadian Army did not start to replace them with M1s until 1960 and the Reserves and RCN were still using them into the late 1960s. After WWII the line between Civil Defence use only and standard Mk II Helmets became blurred which resulted in helmets that initially were only to be used for civil defence purposes being issued to the Army for field use.

Many Canadian regiments who fought in Italy and Northwest Europe during the Second World War continued using the same marking and colour combinations into the Post-WWII era. So with a myopic view of only collecting WWII materiel and not recognizing Post-WWII use of equipment like helmets, it is easy to instantly assume that every WWII dated Mk II helmet with a unit decal was used during the war.

Sure this one has a name a service number, but again, this information can be researched with ease and added with a pencil.

This could be a legitimate marked WWII Mk II example, but since the price is determined by the helmets markings, I would be careful before laying down any money.

http://prospectofwhitbyantiques.com/index.php/antiques/detail/north-nova-regimental-flashed-helmet
 

I comes as no surprise that someone bought this helmet.

http://prospectofwhitbyantiques.com/index.php/antiques/detail/North-Nova-Highlander-Idd-Officers-Grouping

I have seen this helmet on that website too. The owner has removed some sold helmets, they had also the same style a name written with a pencil! And mint.

I've got to say that if I ever found out for sure that any seller was promoting/selling items as original and they were not(especially if I bought those items) I'd be calling them out. I fully believe that would be my right to do it.Why would a seller do this when word would spread like wildfire in this world of collecting?

I do plan on eventually having a "Veterans Voices of Canada Military Interest Centre" based out of Sylvan Lake,Alberta as I live here. I would not call it a "museum" for may reasons,but the main one is because of the uncertainty of the history of such items. I do have the provenance of most of my items that I have collected along the way,but not all.

It's a shame that we have to deal with the uncertainty of items in our collecting.History is important...how is it some people find it necessary to"change it". That is a rhetorical question as we all know the answer...$$$$$$$$$'s.

Anyway,rant is over for the day,and yes...I did buy the last listing.

Careful with the implied implications fellows.  I've bought a number of items from Andrew at Prospect of Whitby (for my own collection) and everything has been first rate as has been his service.

I know that helmets are a bit scary these days and we all have to be careful.   That being said, anyone who has visited the Halifax area and hunted for military antiques will know that there is a LOT of quality material out that way.  Finding three NNSH Mk IIs certainly doesn't strike me as being impossible.  

Geoff

Trench Rat Militaria

What Geoff said,as by no means was that directed by me to anyone in specific. I've bought quite a few things from Prospect and he is one of the guys(including Geoff wink,wink) who I do trust fully and trats me very reasonably. He's a good guy to deal with,and has some amazing things available,especially with me being a NNSH follower/collector.

As a "beginning" collector,I'm happy to know these fellows can give me some direction when asked.By the way,it's the second "marked" NNSH helmet I've bought from him,and I'm happy as a clam. My NNSH collecting is almost over...hehe.  
Cheers