Original U.S. WWII-Era US Navy USMC Issue M-1940 Pressed Fiber Sun Helmet by Hawley with Hand-Painted Navy Officer Insignia

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a lovely example of an “American Fiber Helmet” with a Hawley contract stamp on the interior. The fiber helmet was originally designed by Jesse Hawley in the early 1930s. Hawley subsequently designed the first fiber helmet liner for the original M1 steel helmet, alongside the General Fibre Company, a subsidiary of the International Hat Company. The first patent for the Hawley pressed fiber sun helmet was petitioned to the U.S. government in 1935 and subsequently granted in 1938.

This is a well-worn genuine United States Marine Corp WW2 sun helmet utilized by a Navy Officer. It has a lovely hand-painted Navy Officer insignia to the front. The hat is nicely marked on the interior:

HAWLEY PRODUCTS CO. 
CONTS. NO. NXSX-80877

The fabric exterior was treated, during pacific theatre use, with a water resistant paint which is still present, but there is fraying along the brim with some cracking to the helmet shell. The size is roughly 7¼.

Comes ready for further research and display.