Original French WWI Appareil Respiratoire Spécial Special Breathing Apparatus ARS Gas Mask With Filter and Canister - Mask Still Pliable

Original Item: Only One Available. In 1916, the French military began experimenting with copying and upgrading the GM15. Originally the prototype that would become the ARS, known as the MCG, had a faceblank made from a layer of rubberized cloth and no Tissot deflectors. Because of fogging and the inability of the mask to resist tear gas, the MCG was updated to include Tissot deflectors and a backing of cloth boiled in linseed oil. Also added to the MCG was the same head harness as that on the M2.

The ARS is in very interesting condition, with both lenses having come off with the celluloid gone, but miraculously, the mask is still pliable, the first time we’ve seen this! This mask retains all of its straps, some of which bear faint markings. This is the 1st type of this model with the cloth elastic harness system. The eyepieces are completely detached and the leather pad which they sat upon is also gone, leaving a rectangular aperture. The canister still retains the original leather carry strap and the lid is still completely attached. The interior and exterior does have surface oxidation and rust present, but no significant damage. The interior lid still has the information sheet!

This is still a lovely display piece and would go wonderfully in any trench display!

In January 1917, the upgraded MCG was adopted as the ARS, but issues with supplying made it so that the mask started to be delivered to the army only in February 1918. It would continue to see service in the French army even after the First World War with over 5,270,000 examples being produced.

The faceblank is made from a layer of rubberized cloth backed with a sheet of cloth boiled in linseed oil. To support the lenses, a rubber rectangle is sewn into the faceblank. The lenses themselves could be made of either celluloid or glass. The artillery model of the A.R.S. had reinforced lenses. Within the facepiece is a set of Tissot deflectors made from rubberized cloth. All seams on the facepiece are reinforced and made airtight with rubber cement and the peripheral seal is made from a roll of the facepiece's fabric sewn in place.

At the mouth of the mask is the inlet/outlet assembly. The filter port of which is 42mm. Inside of this port is the inlet valve. Air passes through this assembly into the aforementioned Tissot deflectors. Exhaled air passes through a hole in the center of the assembly, the other side of which resides the exhale valve. The exhaled air then passes through a tube leading outside of the mask.

The head harness is a seven-point design. Those of wartime examples are identical to that of the M2 and made from cotton elastic while postwar examples the sport coil spring head harness used on the A.N.P. T-31 and TC-38. The nape strap is disconnected from the rest of the head harness as it is on the M2, A.N.P. T-31, and TC-38.