US WW2 M-1 Helmet. Early production with a Hawley Liner. It is a Front Seam, Fixed Bale variation. The front seam was in use from inception in 1941 through to November 1944 when the seam was moved to the rear of the helmet. This early variation is made of manganese steel coated in cork aggregate and dark olive drab paint. It also has a stainless steel rim which has paint loss at the edge only. Dark green paint adheres to the balance of the rim. Over-all the shell retains about 95% of it’s original paint. The exterior has one small 3/8 dark stain and some minor rubs. An alpha/numerical stamp, “198A”, is located on the lower inside front of the helmet where the helmet flares out to the rim. The interior retains 98% of it’s original paint with a name scratched into the paint and some pencil initials. The chin straps are sewn on to the fixed bales. They are the early olive drab number three. OD3. The dye color was changed to OD7 in 1943. The chin strap buckle is the first variation; a darken brass casting with a distinctive raised bar cast at it’s top. The liner is the “Hawley” or pressed fibre variation, which is distinctive with it’s thicker rolled rim, and a ribbed fabric textured exterior. This liner is nicely ink stamped “LINER FIBRE M-1” inside at the left ear. There is a 2” crack at the liner’s rear. There is a 3” and 2 ½” crack at the right ear. The 3” crack moves rearward towards the other, somewhat around the chin strap button. These cracks are in the fibre only, they show in the outer fabric as a wrinkle. These liners didn’t hold up well and by 1943 the later and more common fiberglass liners were introduced. This liner has the herringbone cotton web suspension with unpainted steel “A” washers, which were made through 1942. By 1943 the “A” washers were painted green. The webbing is all OD3 color, as is the nape strap, which is marked “W 199 QM 25951, J&J Size Large”.  It has a First pattern cotton clip-in headband lined with leather and having two fine wire adjustment rings. This variation of headband was in use starting the summer of 1942. The liner leather chinstrap is not present. The fabric outer layer of the liner is extra nice, with fresh even od color, and only some small rubs and stains. The thickened rim only has two  ¼” spots of fabric loss, one at the front, the other to the rear, and a few other small wear points and rubs. It appears this fixed bale, front seam helmet shell, Hawley Liner, nape strap, steel “A” washers, and first pattern headband have always been together from their first issue. The minor wear is even to both the helmet shell and early liner. The features on this helmet and liner date it’s manufacture to the second half of 1942. This is a super early US M-1 Helmet which is in excellent condition, even with the noted cracks in the liner. These just do not turn up often and I would consider this one as very scarce. Price: $750.00 (ref. B-980)