What is the value of NFL and WFL clear shell...

[princip]

Thanks Robert. I did get in touch with Jeff Fedenko, he had some questions about the waterslide decal process, since, he does all of his helmets with thin reverse adhesive decals. A lot more expensive, however, a lot less labor intensive.

Thank you for posting that Redskins clear shell, I am on the hunt for one myself. Can't believe he ended that early at $250, with an original Dungard too.

BTW, I am working up a website for some of my other projects and collectables. Mostly Redskins and Seahawks items. I will post a link when I get things up and running.

I will be lurking around here more often as well. Great resource.

[John in KY]

btw here's a beautiful and ultra-rare washington redskins clear shell macgregor gamer that recently sold on ebay - the seller ended his auction early and, when i contacted him, told me that he had accepted $250 for it. someone got a very nice deal...




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Well it probably went for $250 because I don't believe it is a Washington Redskins helmet. It is missing the two white stripes which would also be under the shell like the yellow center stripe and the logos. The color appears to be too dark - more like the Spear or Feather helmets from the 1960s than the burgundy helmets used starting in 1972.

I suspect it is a college or high school helmet for a team named the Redskins, but not from the NFL's Washington Redskins.

[princip]

Well it probably went for $250 because I don't believe it is a Washington Redskins helmet. It is missing the two white stripes which would also be under the shell like the yellow center stripe and the logos. The color appears to be too dark - more like the Spear or Feather helmets from the 1960s than the burgundy helmets used starting in 1972.

I suspect it is a college or high school helmet for a team named the Redskins, but not from the NFL's Washington Redskins.

Yep, good call. On second look, that must be the case. However, more/better pics are needed.

[aeneas01]

i don't think the lack of white striping rules the helmet out as an authentic redskins lid - imo the clear shell could very well be the real deal from the early 70s (1972, 1973). the side "profile" logos appear to be nothing other than authentic and, although difficult to tell from the photo, the color shade is accurate.

when the redskins introduced their new helmet style in 1972, many (all?) of these lids were fitted with a single factory applied yellow stripe, no white stripes. in fact it appears to me that the addition of white striping may have even been an afterthought, a last minute change to an original design that included just a single stripe as featured on their previous helmets. whatever the case, riddell did eventually add factory installed white stripping as evidenced by the "riddell" heat stamp applied over the striping.

but it would be interesting to know exactly what went on with the redskins new helmet design in 1972 - not only does it appear that white stripes were added after the fact, but many, many photos from 1972 show the yellow stripe applied above the rivets as early as the start of the 1972 season. this is odd because one would expect to see factory applied yellow striping, with rivets showing, on these new helmets. could it be that many of the helmets the redskins wore in 1972 were actually their yellow helmets painted maroon and fitted with yellow striping that covered the rivets? curtis at helmethut is a huge redskins fan and is probably the best person around able to shed more light on this - i've contacted him and will share anything he offers.

here are a few photos of early redskins helmets that show the white striping above the riddell heat stamp, stripes that were not factory installed. and a redskins helmet without white striping (saturated with tobacco smoke) such as the clear shell...




speaking of the redskins new helmet design introduced in 1972, there's an interesting story behind it - especially in terms of "political correctness". from the "redskins encyclopedia" by michael richman:

an enduring logo: in the early 1970s, walter "blackie" wetzel, president of the national congress of american indians and chairman of the blackfoot tribe, urged the redskins to replace the "r" logo on their helmets with the head of an indian chief. from photos he presented to the redskins officials of indian chiefs in full headdress, a composite was developed that gave birth to a new logo on redskins helmets in the 1972 season. it exists to this day. i said' "i'd like to see an indian on your helmets," wetzel said in the washington post on january 26, 2002. "it made us all so proud to have an indian on a big-team... it's only a small group of radicals who oppose those names, indians are proud of indians."

"blackie" passed away in 2003 at the age 88.
http://www.queencitynews.com/modules...ticle&sid=1826

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[John in KY]

i don't think the lack of white striping rules the helmet out as an authentic redskins lid - imo the clear shell could very well be the real deal from the early 70s (1972, 1973). the side "profile" logos appear to be nothing other than authentic and, although difficult to tell from the photo, the color shade is accurate.

when the redskins introduced their new helmet style in 1972, many (all?) of these lids were fitted with a single factory applied yellow stripe, no white stripes. in fact it appears to me that the addition of white striping may have even been an afterthought, a last minute change to an original design that included just a single stripe as featured on their previous helmets. whatever the case, riddell did eventually add factory installed white stripping as evidenced by the "riddell" heat stamp applied over the striping.

but it would be interesting to know exactly what went on with the redskins new helmet design in 1972 - not only does it appear that white stripes were added after the fact, but many, many photos from 1972 show the yellow stripe applied above the rivets as early as the start of the 1972 season. this is odd because one would expect to see factory applied yellow striping, with rivets showing, on these new helmets. could it be that many of the helmets the redskins wore in 1972 were actually their yellow helmets painted maroon and fitted with yellow striping that covered the rivets? curtis at helmethut is a huge redskins fan and is probably the best person around able to shed more light on this - i've contacted him and will share anything he offers.

here are a few photos of early redskins helmets that show the white striping above the riddell heat stamp, stripes that were not factory installed. and a redskins helmet without white striping (saturated with tobacco smoke) such as the clear shell...




speaking of the redskins new helmet design introduced in 1972, there's an interesting story behind it - especially in terms of "political correctness". from the "redskins encyclopedia" by michael richman:

an enduring logo: in the early 1970s, walter "blackie" wetzel, president of the national congress of american indians and chairman of the blackfoot tribe, urged the redskins to replace the "r" logo on their helmets with the head of an indian chief. from photos he presented to the redskins officials of indian chiefs in full headdress, a composite was developed that gave birth to a new logo on redskins helmets in the 1972 season. it exists to this day. i said' "i'd like to see an indian on your helmets," wetzel said in the washington post on january 26, 2002. "it made us all so proud to have an indian on a big-team... it's only a small group of radicals who oppose those names, indians are proud of indians."

"blackie" passed away in 2003 at the age 88.
http://www.queencitynews.com/modules...ticle&sid=1826

...

I never knew that the 1972 factory-fresh Riddell's didn't have the white striping; in that case then that Macgregor is certainly old enough to have come from that era. I've never seen one that didn't have the white stripes, so I assumed that the Macgregor would have been like the Joe Washington Kelley's on Curtis's site where all decals and striping were under the shell.

[aeneas01]

I never knew that the 1972 factory-fresh Riddell's didn't have the white striping; in that case then that Macgregor is certainly old enough to have come from that era. I've never seen one that didn't have the white stripes, so I assumed that the Macgregor would have been like the Joe Washington Kelley's on Curtis's site where all decals and striping were under the shell.

by the time joe washington joined the redskins, the skins had been sporting their "new" design for 10 years and factory stripes had generally become the norm. and, of course, macgregor had quit the helmet business by then. the joe washington "kelley" lid featured at helmut hut you mention is a real beauty, a real beauty - hh has also provided a great read (as usual) along with the photos. anyway, as i mentioned, it would be interesting to know the details about the changeover in helmet design - if in fact the white stripes were an afterthought.

for many helmet helmet collectors, including myself, clear shells are special. but when evaluating these things they always warrant a closer look given their uniqueness and the fact that decals were commonly applied to both the inside and outside of the shell.

for example, one might feel compelled to quickly disqualify an earl campbell longhorns "gamer" appearing at auction if the steer (bevo) decals were applied to the outside of the shell. but campbell did indeed wear just that at times - a clear shell macgregor with the decals applied to the exterior even though texas generally wore clear shells with the decals applied to the interior. the same goes for terry bradshaw - he wore a clear shell max pro for a while when with the steelers. at times the decals were applied to the exterior of the shell and at times the decals were applied to the inside of the shell.

and then there's the back of the helmet number thing - generally numbers were applied to the exterior of clear shells for obvious reasons. but there were helmets that had the numbers applied to the interior - i own one such helmet, a nebraska gamer. speaking of clear shells, there are a couple of nice ones currently listed on ebay although they appear to be salesman samples as opposed to gamers..


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=270290953396

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=270290942762

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[MERCS5000]

Here Are Some Photos Of A Couple Of Reproductions Ive Done. The Saints Helmet Sold For 900.00 On Ebay, I Still Own The Rebs Helmet. Ive Also Done Dallas,and Pitt Helmets. I Always Sell These Helmets With Full Discloser That They Are Original Reproductions. Sadly I Have Seen Some Of My Repros Relisted On Ebay As Original Gamers. Buyers Beware. Ray

[yosef777]

Have to admit I think Ray is the master restorer. (No disrespect to Michael Pricep's Seahawks helmet.) I have seen Ray's helmets first hand and they are perfect. In fact that is one way to recognize them as repos because they are better than the Mac/Kelley/MaxPro factory produced : )
I too, have had ebayers relist helmets I recently sold and try to pass them off as salesman samples, gamers, etc. and I also reached out to the buyer (and fellow collector) to give him a heads up. Definitely a buyers beware on ebay.
Too bad those types are part of the hobby : (
Dr. J that A&M is a real nice one too didn't know I bought it from you.
Finally, I agree that Vikings is a beauty, thanks for the pics.

[yosef777]

Joe Washington / Colts / Kelley repo

[aeneas01]

Have to admit I think Ray is the master restorer...

imo both of you guys do absolutely outstanding work on your clearshells and i've sung your praises in the past at the forum - just beautiful reproductions. further, it's great that you have both joined the forum! btw ray, do you approach your clearshells in the same manner as yosef, do you glue the rivets in place? or have you figured out a way to re-rivet the suspension padding as was done by macgregor?

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