German WWII M40 Helmet with Provenance

Description

The example offered here is fresh to the market, having been brought back from Germany
after WWII by US Army veteran Harry Hohne and stored in a chest until recently sold by
his nephew’s wife. Hohne was involved with rounding up artifacts from museums, etc.
toward the end of the war and shipped duffel bags filled with war trophies to his mother and
sister. He never married and passed away in 1972. He took this helmet, along with a
Luger and officer’s sword, from an officer of the 7th SS “Prinz Eugen” Division, an elite unit
of mountain troops “Gebirgsjager”. This is backed up by the inscription on the helmet liner
which includes “Geb. Jag.” and “Fussen”, a town in the mountains of Southern Bavaria.
Quality field grey painted steel, never had decals. Rolled steel rim, complete intact leather
liner and chin strap. Th liner with hand written name Ostler Schoosch(?) along with
notations and place names. Factory applied “Field Gray” paint with rough aluminum oxide.
Marked on inside of shell “Q66″ (size) & “T1415″ (batch number) stamped in rear. Size 66,
manufactured in 1941. Untouched since WWII with scuffs and some corrosion, primarily
on the upper right side.