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Japanese Navy Pith Helmet with Case -
This is a WWII Japanese navy sun helmet. In very good condition. Complete with the carrying box.
Japanese helmets are hard to find because most of them were destroyed after the war. Some
of them were thrown into the ocean while others were melted in order to reuse the steel.
Most of the helmets available today in the United States were brought back by GI's as war
souvenirs.
The sun helmets are particularly fragile due to their construction. Japanese military helmets are
becoming very desiable in the military antiques market.
The design of the helmet consists of a compressed cardboard body covered with a cloth material. Khaki color. A series
of four gromets is distributed at mid-body to provide ventilation. In addition, the top has a metal dome that draws
air to cool the head of the sailor. A metal anchor is attached to the front.
The liner is of simple construction. A leather swetband covers the inside perimeter. Corrugated material provides the
backing. a large leather pad is placed on the crown. The normal wear has caused some of it to disintegrate revealing
the metal assambly that provides ventilation.
The chin strap is very basic. It consists of a thin Brown leather strap with an adjusting buckle and a supporting bracket.
Not very robust.
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This page is a recognition and identification guide for Japanese WWII head gear.
Multiple detailed photos of a specific sample are provided. Descriptions point
out specific points that should be noted.
One of the most commonly asked questions is "How much is my Japanese headgear worth?".
A price guide is included here to address this question. The value of the WWII hats and helmets is
reviewed over a period of several years. A trend can be observed. The present worth
of the items in the collector's market is illustrated.
This service is provided free of charge to the visitor/enthusiast courtesy of
MilitaryItems.com,
a company dedicated
to the preservation of military history and to providing quality military antiques and
collectibles to museums, institutions and the general public.
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JAPANESE WWII SUN HELMET MARKINGS
The sun helmet is marked in a few places on the inside. A couple of Japanese symbols are stamped with red ink on the cloth
section and crown. A paper tag with japanese symbols is also present.
One particularly interesting marking is found in the leather sweat band. The manufacturer's logo has been embossed. It consists
of a bird with extended wings atop an anchor. The ocean and sundown with rays is placed as background. The words "Trade Mark"
and Ikari Brand" contrary to common sense the words are written in English. Not sure why they did that but I have seen it in
multiple items such as clocks, watches, dishes, etc.
JAPANESE WWII SUN HELMET TRANSIT BOX
The sun helmet came in a metal transit box. The lid is attached to the main body via the use of a hinge. The front was secured
closed via the use of a metal flap and a lock (broken on this example but present). The top of the box has a handle wrapped
tightly with a rope. The handle is secured to the top via the use of four rivets. The seams of the main body and lid are soldered.
The box is painted rust Brown. The lock male component is attached to the main body by two rivets.
The inside of the transit box is painted battleship Gray. The bottom is lined with a few newspaper pages. The only marking
found is a painted anchor.
Many WWII Japanese head gear items are currently
reproduced.
It is becoming more difficult to be able to tell the fake ones from the real ones because
the quality of the reproductions is improving. The collector must become familiarized with
the construction style and materials employed in the manufacturing of this item.
Attention to the details is critical in order to be able to determine the authenticity of
the collectible.
If you have an interest is seeing other WWII Japanese items, you can do so by going
to our WWII Japanese Collectibles
identification guide, where we discussed items from different groups and organizations.
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Click on the sword for additional details !
