Patriots Helmet on eBay

[NEFAN]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/112371646553...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Thoughts on this one?

[helmets]

Helmet is a rare Rawlings clear shell. Tough to tell if it was game used or not. Jawpads alone bring a very high premium.

[NEFAN]

Thanks

[patsfan]

I would say this is not a real gamer. I have an 89 helmet and believe it or not the pats logos were hand cut and not too clean cut at that . My helmet was purchased directly from the patriots and there is no comparison to the way the logos are cut out .the logo on the 70s helmet looks like a modern machine cut

[helmets]

You are correct in the fact that the team applied the decals on most of their helmets. When applying these decals the Patriots often cut them to avoid creases which came from trying to apply a large flat decal over a round helmet. Other teams did the same during this period with thin mil decals.

The helmet in question however is a clear shell helmet - with the decals applied to the inside of the helmet prior to painting. The Patriots used a lot of clear shell helmets during the 70's. The team did not apply those decals. The helmet manufacturers that produced clear shell helmets for the teams applied the decals themselves. Usually they had a local source that supplied the decals to them and they normally differ from the decals that the team used. This is the case with MacGregor, Kelley, Marietta and Rawlings helmets.

Gamer or not a gamer is not known and cannot be based on the size of the decal or the cut - machine or human. What is known is that it is a rare clear shell helmet which is very desireable to helmet collectors and specifically those that collect clear shell helmets.

[patsfan]

thanks I learn something new every day