Austrian WWI Armor Brow Plate for the Berndorfer Helmet

Triangular steel armor plate for the unique Austrian pattern Berndorfer helmet, with better than 80% original earth brown painted finish. Plate has hinged strap upper attachment intended to anchor to the ventilation cover on the top of the Berndorfer helmet, with compound pivoting attachments on the lower left and right for attachment via hooks to the visor, and via a strap which was to be held to the helmet via a clip mounted on the protruding screw on the center of the back helmet crown.  The brow plate retains its complete original leather reinforced fabric chinstrap with grommet holes that are oxidized but intact. 

These were not universal issue items, but rather were unit property, in a prescribed ratio to helmets.  According to the Emperor's Coat, brow plates were produced for only 3% of the helmets in use.  So of the roughly 140,000 Berndorfer helmets made between May 1917 until the end of their production in November 1917, we can estimate that approximately 4,200 brow plates were made.  A very, very rare piece of WWI trench armor. $3000 - $4000