Item #69988 : Original period manufacture. Standard WWII Japanese Type 90 steel helmet with a dark finish to the helmet body, original leather liner and cloth chinstrap. Darker than usually encountered surface coloring, white paint character on the rear neck guard for size Large, next to that is the makers logo for Daido Steel Works. The standard steel star has been replaced with a three dimensional brass star, of a type normally seen on a visor hat. Around the circumference of the helmet body is a brush painted band in a contrasting olive green, which carefully arcs over and under the brass star. Different paint shade bands are often seen on Japanese military helmets of the era indicating a refurbishing/repurposing of the helmet for service use. Domed style rivet heads, correct for an Army pattern helmet. Intact and complete cowhide leather liner with the issue stamp behind the front pad, again, proper for an Army helmet. There is a large daub of black paint on the surface of the front pad, placed there to obscure hand written kanji, portions of which remain visible at the top. Intact original cloth drawstring, and uncut, full length cloth chinstraps. My interpretation of this helmet would be that this helmet was possibly refurbished for wear by a senior NCO or perhaps an officer, hence the use of the brass decorative star. Care was taken when the painted band was applied so as to not cover the star. The daub of black paint on the liner pad is another tell, done to obscure the likely name and rank of the original owner, thus avoiding the shame of surrendering the Emperor's helmet by the wearer. The lack of real service/combat wear leads me to believe that this helmet was surrendered in the home islands of Japan, when time allowed for the name to be carefully, but crudely covered up by the owner.