It is odd how when one item suddenly is found another shows up! It could be that some things are more common than we realize and didn’t notice previously, or perhaps multiple items were uncovered at the same time. In this case it is the Canadian pressed fiber naval style Wolseley.

Last November it was offered for sale on eBay and it was the first example of this style helmet that this writer had ever encountered. Then in February another example was found in Toronto – and likely had come out of the collection of my friend Clive Law. Unfortunately with Clive’s passing last June it is impossible to confirm whether this is in fact the case.

While the helmet is the same pattern, this example has been painted or died with a dark sandy color that is almost orange. The earlier example had the typical light khaki cloth. Was this second helmet painted for a purpose? It is impossible to know, but what is worth noting is that it was neatly painted and whoever did it was careful not to let the paint drip onto the lining inside.

As with the previously discovered example the interior is the same – a leather headband and foil-covered dome.

The coloring isn’t thick either and the fabric’s texture can be clearly seen. It is unlikely that the fabric was actually colored before being applied to the pressed fiber shell. Why this was done at all is unclear. Does this suggest that this was a second variation of a previously unknown helmet? At this point anything seems possible!

It was likely “painted” or colored after the cloth was applied based on the fact that the grommets and ventilator cap are the same color.

There are some minor stains on this example but unlike the other example this one seems unissued.

Where these test helmets? Two have shown up in just a few months – yet even among collectors this seems to be an unknown helmet pattern. The mystery continues.

Peter Suciu

April 2018