Peter_Suciu

I'm writing a piece on collecting from current wars, and wanted to see if anyone would like to talk to me about this topic. Send me a PM if you collect Iraqi, Afghan or other modern wars militaria.

I was at SOS and had a GREAT time. I posted a photo recap on FirearmsTruth.com (where I report on media bias of firearms):

http://www.firearmstruth.com/2011/guns-of-sos

I know how you feel. Where would it be appearing/have appeared?

This would be for Military Trader. It should be posted online soon.

A little late... I have been otherwise engaged. Did you have any luck with your article? I see you got no response here. I have collated some notes on the origins of the bearskin in Europe that I could dig out.

The article was written and filed. I don't know if it ran yet. I've been a little out of the loop actually!

Some photos of officer's & O.R.'s helmet & cap back badges on the Soldiers of Gloucestershire museum site:

http://www.glosters.org.uk/collectionresults.php?from=&to=&category=&campaign=&keywords=bras&chunk=100

Thank you for posting. That is one museum I hope to visit eventually.

I missed this one earlier this year, and I'm sorry. This is simply a fantastic collection of sun helmets! Truly top notch stuff.

I also wrote an article about the second handgun I bought recently, the TT-33, which replaced the Nagant:

http://www.firearmstruth.com/2010/gun-collecting-tt-30-pistol

Here is a link to all the gun archive features that I have on my site:

http://www.firearmstruth.com/gun-collecting-archives

Stuart--

My good friend, that photo looks like an ultrasound when it is blown up (the photo, not an ultrasound). I think we can determine this will be boy!

But in all seriousness, I would step back and say, I don't know. There is no way of judging from the photo. What color uniform is the man wearing? Compare his tunic to the helmet. We know he isn't wearing a leather tunic. That is cloth. The texture (in my opinion) is similar to the helmet. We can assume the boots are leather and those reflect light a bit differently.

What I need to see now is an example of the leather helmet. That would clarify matters. If we know there were leather examples and that no other Blue Cloth versions have appeared, and I've never seen a reference to one, then I would add that this suggests that Blue Cloths may not have been used. I know that is vague.

I will do some more research.

Stuart--

Well, what I dismissed as fantasy could be reality. We still don't know enough but I would have passed that helmet by at a show.

I would urge moderation - most of our posts appear also on Google and then in the public domain , I think the laws of Libel may apply.

Mervyn-- I would agree that the posts could appear on Google, and that moderation is the best course (Stuart knows me very well, and if I'm recommending moderation it must be serious). But I'm a journalist and writer by trade, so I understand libel. It actually only applies if anything is said that is untrue.

Therefore if you make it about the helmets specifically and any communication then you are fine. Anything that is opinion based (e.g. "they are crooks") is what would get you in trouble. But if you are specific with the details, i.e, the helmet pattern never existed, the information about its history is incorrect, etc., then you are fine.

Just my two cents on the matter.

As I told Stuart, this helmet is perfect for those who like Steam Punk (the science fiction genre centered in the Victorian Era). Both are absolute fantasy!

Hello-

I'm hoping to pen a short piece on the history of Bearskin caps, but I'm finding very little has been written... maybe that's why my editor was interested in having me write up something. Would anyone care to talk to me about these. I have one in my collection. Lovely headgear.

Cheers,

Peter

I am starting to collect military handguns (a move from New York City makes it so much easier). My first purchase (I inherited several handguns from my great uncle) was a Model 1895 Nagant Revolver. I wrote a short piece on the gun's history:

http://www.firearmstruth.com/2010/gun-collecting-nagant-model-1895-revolver

I always loved the M1917 .45 and I was pleased to read my friend John's take on it:

http://www.firearmstruth.com/2010/some-wwii-collectors-prefer-rebuilt-m1917-45-revolvers

I actually inherited one from my great uncle. I will treasure that gun always.

Fascintating Stuart. Simply fascinating.

I've looked at all my "international" colonial pattern helmets and everyone single one has that North/South seam.

My good friend Gus took the time to write a very concise history on the Model 1915 CSRG Automatic Rifle, also known as the Chauchat:

http://www.firearmstruth.com/2010/gun-collecting-model-1915-csrg-automatic-rifle

Fascinating gun, which Gus explains isn't quite worthy of the "worst machinegun ever" award it seems.

I recently revised and updated a piece I wrote on the history of the Martini Henry rifle:

http://www.firearmstruth.com/2010/gun-collecting-the-martini-henry-rifle-of-the-british-empire

This is absolutely one of my favorite firearms.

I too can give Hogspear a thumbs up. When I've had problems they've worked extremely hard to make things right.

As for eBay I know many people bad mouth, say it isn't like the old days. Well, there was probably a very brief window when there were bargains, but that could be said for the good old days of flea markets, garage sales, antique shows, etc. I will also add that I find eBay to be an absolute gold mine, but you need to get through a minefield to get to the good stuff. I've stopped looking on eBay in recent months as my spare cash isn't so spare.

Pity no one ever wrote a book about these helmets! :whistle:

Thanks Leigh. I know the Indian regiments can be terribly tricky to sort out.

I love the colors of the Indian Army headgear. There is the outline of a badge... but I can't place the colors to the unit. Anyone have any ideas on which unit might have worn this Kullah?

To add fuel to this one, one of the Osprey books has illustrations that show four panel helmets. Again, these are illustrations NOT photos, so it could be artistic license or a flat out mistake. My opinion on that one has long been that the illustrator based the helmet on the American four panel helmets of the era.

I know that in Canada some regiments opted to buy a 4-seam helmet from the US as delivery was faster and the price cheaper than ordering from England.

That is very interesting Clive. The only thing I would ask is whether these were the same ones used by the American military? The Canadian helmets don't exactly look a whole lot like the American Model 1887 or 1889 helmets to me.

I imagine it would haven't been that hard however to make a slightly different "cut" so to speak to make the helmets look more "British."

I've posted this helmet previously, but for this thread I will do so again. My Blue Cloth with the back badge:

As Stuart knows I did previously own a Gloucestershire helmet, which I returned because it did NOT have a back badge. It was a lovely helmet, but I have one that is now 100% unquestionable!

Not another thread I dont collect these so I am swaping and selling as quick as I can .

Dan, any police sun helmets in the mix?

Peter