French Adrian helmet

I've been wanting one of these for a long time, but could never justify the expense. Most recently I was able to buy what I took to be two reproductions for $25 each. They were painted a very bright horizon blue. I believed I had seen them for sale online at about $80 U.S. These were without liners but were otherwise a fine looking pair… Except I hated the blue...

So the next day I took the paint remover to them. As soon as it bubbled I rubbed the paint off with a hand full of sawdust. I was surprised to discover a very perfect gray blue under-coat, and rust, pitting, and dents that speak of age. 

I now believe that I have a pair of decommissioned helmets from the First World War. Someone, somewhere, has found these and is selling them repainted the bright horizon blue. What I now have looks a lot more like what one typically sees on websites. If I'm right then this is a delightful discovery, and at a price I could afford!

One of the things I most enjoy about my collecting is the slow discovery of the right item at a good price. If I were rich I would have bought way too much stuff by now. But being impecunious I have the pleasure of special purchases that fall into my lap in memorable circumstances. 

Such a way of collecting is priceless. 

Greek Tornister Backpack

 As a result of my blog posts I've had a request from someone to do a reproduction of a Greek Tornister backpack! These packs were made for the Greek army by the Germans in 1938.

I know next to nothing about them but will be discovering some interesting points of construction as I work on the reproduction. I'm posting some photographs of the original that I'm using to work things out. There's another version with slightly different details that I will be working toward in the long run. I will write an account of this process in my blog on Great War reproductions. Apparently, though the date is 1938, this is really more of an 1895 tornister model. 

On first inspection what I find particularly interesting is that the internal wooden structure to stiffen the pack's sides is made out of plywood. The leather tabs on the sides are sewn right through the plywood.

There's also a variety of metals used in the hardware. I always find is interesting to see the degree of imperfection in these items which were made to be used and we're not fashion accessories. That being said the stitching is quite exquisite and there are no raw edges visible. That old thought comes back to me that it is ironic such gentle domesticity is applied to the equipment of warfare.