A while back at an antique store, I found what the owner claimed to be an authentic British WW1 helmet that had been repainted, although after looking at it, it looks more like a British WW2 helmet to me. Seeing as it was only $40 (Marked down from $100 due to a closing sale) I decided to get it, seeing as even replica metal helmets go for about this price. Honestly, I was kind of expecting it to be fake, but I'm not really well-informed on helmets, so I decided to come here to ask around.
Side note: I'm not really expecting it to be authentic, although I would love it if it was. Either way, it's a cool thing to display.
So first off, the liner. The thick cross piece at the scalp of the helmet looks very old. Its crusty and dry, although it looks like whoever repainted it (if that's what happened) replaced the rest of the liner with new stuff. Looking closely at the interior of the shell, I found what looks to be 4901841 stamped into the metal. It's pretty hard to make out because the paint on it is so thick. Theres another number too, on the little metal piece that attaches the chin strap to the shell. It reads 1940, and I'm not sure if that's a production date or just a number.
There may be more numbers on it, although because of the paint, they're pretty hard to make out. I know this isn't a lot of info, but it's what I can do without posting pictures. Any guesses or info you can think of would be greatly appreciated, and thanks!
Edit: Just a side thought, if it is real, would it be worth it to strip the paint off, and if that's the case, what's the recommended method of doing so?
Also Edit: Pictures!
You're welcome to post pictures here. You just can't post a picture link as its own thread (we require questions to be text-based).