Original WWII Italian M33 Helmet with Unidentified Stencil Possibly Navy-Related - Full 57cm Liner & Chinstrap

Original Item: Only One Available. The M33 Helmet (Elmetto Mod. 33 in Italian) is a steel combat helmet designed in the 1930s in Italy, and was the standard combat helmet of the Regio Esercito up to World War II, and of the Esercito Italiano well into the Cold War. Designed by Nicola Leszl for the Mussolini Government, these have become extremely hard to find on the collectors market today, especially WWII examples that have not been refurbished.

This is a tremendous M33 helmet with a period stencil to the front for a unit or corps we have been unable to identify. It depicts crossed swords in an oval under a crown, surrounded by crossed laurels. We couldn’t find anything similar, but there is more research to be done. Interestingly, the rear brim of the helmet is stamped S RM, which denotes that the helmet is a war period helmet specially produced for the Navy, S being the manufacturer’s code and RM being for Regia Marina. This could denote that the stencil is Navy-related. 

The interior shows that the leather liner has some heavy cracking and wear, but it has the correct Z-shaped stitching. The leather chinstrap is still intact and is in better shape, thankfully. There is perforation in the liner for the size, 57. The original leather chinstrap is retained with the correct buckle, although the condition is very crazed and a bit stiff.

A great unit-marked M33 helmet, ready for further research and display.