WW1 Austro-Hungarian German Made Steel Helmet

An exceptional example of an Austro-Hungarian steel helmet that was a US soldiers bring back from Italy . The helmet itself is a German pressed shell that was supplied to the A-H Government . The A-H Army was slow to adopt a steel helmet and thus German was to supply many prior to the domestic production could make any impact . German helmets were either supplied a shell to be finished in A-H depots and also many German early issues were refinished and reissued . This example has a very high percentage of the classic A-H brown finish in super condition . The A-H leatherwork is supple and good and the chinstrap is excellent and have the original draw string . The pads are nicely marked by an American soldier from Ohio who picked up the helmet while part of the US army serving on the Italian front . Only a fairly small number of US soldiers fought on the Italian front with the biggest number coming from the one Infantry regiment ,that being the 332 who came from Ohio . There is card from a previous owner that gives detail ( please see last image ) A wonderful example and something that would be well worth more research as to the American who brought it home .