Original U.S. WWI British-Made Mk. I Helmet Shell Painted Camouflage by Veterans in the 1920s with Native American Depiction

Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. This is a very interesting British-made Brodie helmet shell which was issued to an American soldier during World War I. It was then taken home by the soldier who had it painted, likely for a fraternal or veteran’s organization. The shell is beautifully painted with a “camouflage” pattern of blue, green, white, and blacks, with a gold trim along the rim and a depiction of a Native American to the front. 

The shell is stamped on the underside HS 115. This is the typical marking where the designation of Manufacturer followed by designation of steel supplier followed by batch lot number of steel used. H is for Hadfield Ltd of Sheffield who made helmets. S is for the steel supplier of Sheffield who provided the needed material for the helmets. The heat stamp and the split rivets on the chinstrap bales are a solid indication and a good reference point for identifying British made helmets for American use during the Great War.

The underside of the helmet was painted silver and there are remnants of some numbers at the interior crown.

A very interesting painted helmet which requires more research!