20th-Century Poland: Model 31/50 Helmet, Type II, Eagle Painted with a Sponge / Ludwików Steelworks / Salamander / Second Polish Republic

Model 31 Helmet
Polish Model 31 helmet. A legendary Polish design from the Second Polish Republic era. One of the most advanced and best helmets of World War II. The Model 31 helmet is the most advanced and successful Polish helmet design from the interwar period, and is currently the subject of widespread collector interest in Poland and on international markets. At the turn of the 1920s and 1930s, the Polish Army recognized the need to develop a new military helmet design that could be mass-produced using the capabilities of domestic industry. Intensive conceptual work was carried out, and in the early 1930s, successive batches of helmets manufactured by various producers were subjected to testing. In 1934, helmet shells from the “Sosnowiec” and “Ludwików” factories underwent rigorous testing involving bullet penetration tests with pistol and rifle ammunition, which yielded exceptionally good results. For example, 9 out of 10 helmets manufactured by the “Ludwików” Steelworks withstood the penetration tests. As a result, by a decision dated August 26, 1935 (Ref. No. L.3554), the Minister of Military Affairs officially approved the new helmet design to be used by the Polish Army. In the interest of Poland’s national security, the supplier was required to use domestic materials, raw materials, and semi-finished products—not only in terms of where they were purchased but also where they were manufactured. To protect military secrets, the production of wz. 31 helmets at the Ludwików Steelworks was designated by the code name: “production of H-type pots.” The wz. 31 helmet accompanied Polish soldiers during the September Campaign of 1939 and today is one of the most recognizable mementos and, at the same time, a symbol of the heroic battles fought in September. During World War II, wz. 31 helmets were used by soldiers in the forest units of the Polish Underground State and by the Warsaw Insurgents. After World War II, the excellent wz. 31 helmet continued to be used in units of the postwar Polish Army.
Model 31/50 Helmet
After 1945, wz. 31 helmets continued to be used by the Polish Army and paramilitary formations. Large quantities of unfinished wz. 31 helmet shells from an unfulfilled order for 1939–40 survived the war years in the storage yards of the Ludwików Steelworks. Helmets from this batch were assembled after the war in several variants differing in finishing details. Although the assembly of the helmets likely began shortly after the war, the Polish Army designated them as wz. 31/50 as part of a standardization of nomenclature.
The piece offered here served in the Polish Army after the war and was refurbished in 1966: the shell was coated with new varnish, and a wz.50 rim was also applied. On the front of the helmet shell is a stenciled Polish military eagle, painted by applying a paint-soaked sponge to a cut-out stencil. Inside the helmet shell is a stenciled designation: “WZR [Military Repair Works]| 66. I/IX” within a rectangular frame. Dimensions: 16.6 x 23.5 x 28. The condition of the object is shown in the attached photos.