Vader Experts - Help me ID this ESB Vader helmet!

[Stormtrooper]

Hi everyone,

Over the years I haven't known a great deal about Darth Vader helmet replicas... my heart was always with the Stormies :rolleyes

BUT.... I always liked the Vader helmet and one day hoped to own one... well I've now got the opportunity to buy a TESB Vader helmet, which looks pretty nice to my untrained eye. It's made from 2mm fibreglass, has a nice automotive paintjob, and has an mp3 player inside playing a looped breathing sound.

To me it looks like it may have been recasted from a Don Post Deluxe, sumply because of the mounting ring and the fibreglass construction?

Anyways a picture paints a thousabd words, so please cast your eyes over the following 4 pics:

So there you have it guys... it looks *nice* to me, but by my own admussion I know very little about Vader costuming. And I don't wanna be ripped off by buying a sub-standard, innaccurate helmet. As far as the relatively slim 2mm fibreglass is concerned, this would be a display piece only and I wouldn't be trooping in it (unless I grow 5 inches and gain about 125 lbs. in muscle! :lol)

So any help from you Vader guys out there would be very much appreciated - who knows, I might be able to return the favour in future when you're offerred a Stormtrooper helmet?

Please feel free to post replies on this thread, or if you're not comfortable doing so, then plz feel free to email me at john@manicminer.plus.com (Unfortunately PMs are out of the question cause I'm too damn lazy to delete any PMs from my 100% full PM Inbox! D'Oh!)

Thanks in advance guys

Cheers,
John
john@manicminer.plus.com

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Not a bad looking helmet, imo.

 

[JoeR]

If that is from ebay the guy sells other recast Stormtrooper helmets. If you pm me his ebay ID I can confirm this.

 

[dcarty]

Very nice helmet! At first glance it does scream "DP Deluxe" at me--geometry of the mouth/chin vent especially, and the nose bridge. The more I stare at it though it the more it resolves into something more 20th Century based. Possibly a DPD modded with a 20th C for reference?

Either way it has been touched up and sharpened no doubt about that.

 

[CSMacLaren]

Could you rephotograph the helmet at least 6 feet back? 6 feet is a good standard that minimizes lens distortion so we can get a better sense of shape and proportions.

 

[Chewcy]

Ive seen these on ebay, they look fairly nice, esp for the price, but as Joe says they have deffo recast trooper lid, and also the altmans scout lid

 

[SithLord]

It almost looks like a copy of an early JB ESB, but I'd have to check my photo archives at home to be sure...

 

[Stormtrooper]

Cool... thanks guys for all the opinions and advice

Cheers,
John
swdvds@yahoo.com

 

[thire]

DPD... my .02

 

[clancampbell]

No, it's not a DPDlx....however, it's a very nice helmet. Sharp details throughout, even the dome centre strip!

Rich

 

[illbethere1]

The helmet brow lines and certain facial aspects scream SPFX .

 

[Too Much Garlic]

I'm not seeing anything SPFX in that thing. Maybe it's the pictures.

 

[AnsonJames]

The warped mouth vent and wide nose bridge look very Don Post to me - I think the faceplate could be a modded recast of the Deluxe but the dome looks SPFXish.

Nice looking helmet all the same.

 

[JoeR]

John

It is this ebay helmet as I suspected. He recasts trooper helmets in fibreglass, see his other items.

STAR WARS DARTH VADER ESB HELMET PROP STORMTROOPER on eBay (end time 05-Oct-10 08:28:41 BST)

There are much better helmets available.

Joe

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Thanks for the link Joe - added to my eBay blocked list.

Go get a Darth Stone instead.

 

[davros]

Are these still being sold ? guessing best avoided then?