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(Please help) Identify/date French gas mask?


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(So far no one on the WarRelics forum has been able to help me. If anyone has any help at all or can point me in the right direction, I would appreciate it!!)

 

Hi everyone,

I got this a while ago from an antique store in Ypres and I'm unsure of it's date or model. I'd love some help!

 

It looks like some variation of the ARS line of masks and I assume it is french made based on the 'france' stamped buckle. But it looks somewhat different to the usual ARS - 17 in terms of the colour of the materials but it also seems to match it and it does not look like the later 30's era ARS masks.

 

The markings on the filter were difficult to photograph, I don't want to take the filter off it is on quite tight. 

 

Its covered in 'TO', is this a makers mark? It also looks to have seen some use in some way, and both the mask and cannister are labelled with the presumed owners name.

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Edited by Guest
Need help
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If you search eBay for 'British WWI militaria' you will find a photo that shows 4 men, wearing British/French/German/US gas masks. The man at extreme RHS wears a mask very similar to yours.  Although photo is undated, you may be able to date yours approximately by comparison to the others.

Regards,

JMB

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I'm not a specialist of gaz mask but it's probably a French ARS 17 (Appareil Respiratoire Spécial modèle 1917)with minor (post war ?) variations  like the "straps"

TO is for "taille ordinaire" or medium size, PT is for "petite taille "(small size) and GT for "grande taille"(big size).

The ARS 17 was in servce during  and after the war in french and belgian army.

Regards

Gérald

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As Murat supposed correctly, a french ARS gasmask, but of postwar, mid 1920's production: container with swivels, mask with 'spring' straps (as opposed to elastic fabric ones for WW1) etc etc.

regards, RS

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Isn't there a difference on post war cans re the ribs / corrugated section not being the entire length of can too?

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do you know this :

http://www.guerredesgaz.fr/

and : http://www.guerredesgaz.fr/Protection/Lesmasques/France.htm

on this page : http://www.guerredesgaz.fr/index.htm

you find an e-mail address

also on facebook : https://www.facebook.com/GuerredesGaz/?fref=ts

kind regards from the Somme, martine

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  • 1 year later...

Based on the information here - does this look like a late war ARS mask? I just got it (it is in essentially relic condition but fills a hole in my collection)

Compared to the original mask shown here (re Eparges comments)

The canister/tin does not have swivels for the strap, but flat metal loops

The instructions inside the lid are a slightly different format

There appears to be horizon blue paint under the ochre/khaki colour

The mask itself has elastic/fabric straps

 

It is very very stiff and I suspect will simply crumble if I attempt to open it more. (Any suggestions regarding storage/preservation?)

 

Opinions as to the date of this example please? Apart from the stenciled AG99 on the filter and the impressed EW on the base of the can I cannot find much in the way of markings

DSC_4486.jpg.530973deb9035e692a7520babf36eec1.jpg 

DSC_4488.jpg.a8eb3333e9a02b5f7af4c0dcc62a6182.jpg

DSC_4493.jpg.7d546b4fa6a16091b9072e936ce7971a.jpg

DSC_4494.jpg.16d475cf680182aeda27d82150ea2204.jpg

DSC_4496.jpg.4cc1c2822017106b28cb98537c0cb158.jpg

DSC_4499.jpg.2087ddd61cc20a5c374c418d78e15daa.jpg

 

Thanks in advance,

Chris

 

Edited by 4thGordons
typo
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I think your tin is post war also 

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23 minutes ago, trenchtrotter said:

I think your tin is post war also 

I wondered - the sites linked above by MVA appear to show a version made from May-June 1918 on which looks like mine (see pic midway down)

if so it would seem to be mid1918-1920?

Chris

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18 hours ago, 4thGordons said:

I wondered - the sites linked above by MVA appear to show a version made from May-June 1918 on which looks like mine (see pic midway down)

if so it would seem to be mid1918-1920?

Chris

 

Chris we never stop learning. Yes you appear to have a late war canister. I always thought the 3/4 corrugated ones were post war but there you go. I have a first pattern one and a third pattern one which I bought in error but cheaply. Wonder how many of your pattern were actually issued in war?

 

Thanks for posting. Interesting.

 

TT

 

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  • 1 year later...

The mask is an M18 ARS or ARS18.  The can is the late war variant with swivel bails rather than the welded.  Both were used in the last 8 months of the war alongside the M2.  The first pattern ARS can was much too weak and was routinely bent / crushed out of shape with use.  They initially added an additional horizontal support in the center of the can.  This proved to be unsatisfactory.  The final wartime variant of the can had the large horizontal reenforcing band at the mouth of the can and swivel bales that were riveted in place rather than tac welded.  Most post war cans are dated on the bottom along with the manufacturers initials.  The other changes post war were fairly minor like the number of times holding the eye rings in place was increased.  Other than that and a few minor filter changes the mask remained the same and in use along other masks such as the TC-38 through the beginning of the Second World War.  I hope this helps!

 

Scott

Frogsacks.com

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Scott

Could you confirm to which mask you are referring - the original post, or mine, or both?

Thanks

Chris

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