A very interesting mask hailing from the Cold War era. The PTM-1 (Противопыльная Тканевая Маска) was a cheaper alternative to gas masks and was meant to protect against radioactive dust in case of nuclear war.

Before the creation fo the GP-5 mask (cheap, mass produced civilian masks), the soviet government created the PTM-1 mask in order to protect as many civilians as possible in the event of nuclear war.

These masks were cheap and effective at protecting the wearer from irradiated dust. However, these masks were a last resort, as they would not be able to protect the wearers from radioactive vapours from gas weapons.

Despite the lack of protection from gas, these masks were issued by goverment/military agencies alongside with instructions on how to recreate them. This was done to assure that the maximum number of people could have at least some protections in the event of nuclear fallout.

Because fo this artisanal production of the mask, many iterations exist with unique patterns, materials, and colours. The production of these masks varies a lot, from thousands manufactured through military contracts to unique ones, made with what people had available. Of course, due to this great variability, the quality of sewing and quality of materials is very inconsistent. See pictures for a few examples of homemade masks and the instructions to create them.

These two at hand were likely a result of a military manufacturing contract. They are made out of a blue cotton material, with darts on the side of the head (for better fit) and plastic eye covers. These particular masks were often issued to tankers as well (to protect them from dust) and feature straps that allow the tanker to secure the mask onto the jacket (not shown here).

One of the masks has been pleated on the chin for a better fit (NFS). The non-pleated one is for sale

Very unique mask from a very significant period in history.