HELMET OF A GENERAL OF A DIVISION OF CUIRASSIERS, model 1872 modified 1874, Third Republic. 27167
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HELMET OF A GENERAL OF A DIVISION OF CUIRASSIERS, model 1872 modified 1874, Third Republic. 27167
Silver-plated copper bomb, stamped with a pendulum, flattened with a hammer. Pierced at the top of three suction cup holes.
Visor inclined at 53 degrees below a horizontal plane passing through the junction of the visor and the bomb. Bordered with a 17 mm wide gilded copper circle placed astride its edges and fixed at the ends with a rivet. Green lacquered underside of visor later. Neck cover composed of: a circular strip on its flat, welded under the rear edge of the strip which it extends, it has three gilded brass nails with half-spherical heads riveted on the inside; a second concave strip, forming a groove, with rounded corners welded on the inside, at the bottom of the first. Like the visor, the neck cover is bordered with a 17 mm wide gilded copper setting, placed on horseback. Underneath of the neck cover covered with an ocher sheepskin.
Headband, in gilded copper, stamped with a flaming grenade surrounded by laurel leaves, adheres to the bomb. Its base rests on the visor and its ends are riveted to the bomb in the part hidden by the rosette of the chin strap. The bomb is decorated with three stars placed one on each side and one at the top, diameter of the stars 1.7 cm.
Each chinstrap is made up of 9 cut-out copper ornamental leaves, stamped in relief with laurel leaves, which decrease in width. These scales are fixed by wire crampons, flattened on a leather core lined with black velvet. Rectangular brass buckle with a tightening screw on its front. At the other end strap in black patent calfskin. Upper scale of each chin strap ending in a rounded part stamped with a circular rosette depicting laurel leaves in relief. It is attached to the bomb by a lock.
The bomb is topped with a gilded copper crest composed of two fins, a mask and a covering.
The fins, placed vertically at a distance from each other of 32 mm in front and 25 mm in back, have the shape of a curvilinear triangle convex at its upper part and which connects with the bomb at its base concave forming a scalloped edge.
This rim is attached to the bomb by means of copper screws with a round tallow drop head which are secured inside the helmet by square copper nuts.
The fins are decorated with palmettes and a net at their upper edge; the rim is decorated with water leaves, all stamped in relief.
A tin-plated sheet metal plate joins the upper edges of the fins, fixing their spacing.
The mask serving as the anterior junction of the two fins by means of welding, is stamped with a Medusa head in relief. The covering, also stamped, represents the continuation of the hair of Medusa's head with intertwined serpents.
Crest ornament composed of a socket stamped with water leaves in relief and a lens formed from two stamped shells. Fixed on the front of the crest and supporting a red puff of tuft of horsehair, height 4.5 cm.
Mane of horsehair, dyed black, mounted on a sole of strong nourished cowhide, in which the horsehair is assembled by tinned brass wires with a piece of sheepskin glued to the assembly with strong glue; the space left empty between the two rows of horsehair is filled by a braid which starts from the top and follows the curve of the crest until its junction with the bomb. The mane is attached to the crest by two copper screws with nuts. Mane length approximately 70 cm.
A stamped copper pen holder, height 35 mm, forming a square section socket, fixed obliquely.
Interior trim in black patent leather, gold-plated with iron on the outer edges, cut with seven wolf teeth, each garnished with a metal eyelet.
Senior officer's egret in heron feathers with base in tricolor feathers mounted on whalebone and iron stem. H of visible feathers 29 cm including H of tricolor feathers 5 cm. Olive in silver cannetilles.
France.
Third Republic.
Very good condition, perfect gilding, green lacquered underside of visor later.
NOTE :
Generals' helmets for the 1874 models are always very complicated to authenticate with certainty. Normally, manufacturers mounted the stars on the headband using rivets before attaching the headband to the bomb, as is the case here. But colonels obtaining the rank of general had their helmets modified at the time by removing the headband and then reassembling it. Nowadays, it is often complicated, if not impossible, to determine whether the assembly of these stars is perfectly original. On the helmet we are presenting, the headband appears to have never been dismantled and the general finish of the helmet is of high quality, which suggests the integrity of the piece.
Silver-plated copper bomb, stamped with a pendulum, flattened with a hammer. Pierced at the top of three suction cup holes.
Visor inclined at 53 degrees below a horizontal plane passing through the junction of the visor and the bomb. Bordered with a 17 mm wide gilded copper circle placed astride its edges and fixed at the ends with a rivet. Green lacquered underside of visor later. Neck cover composed of: a circular strip on its flat, welded under the rear edge of the strip which it extends, it has three gilded brass nails with half-spherical heads riveted on the inside; a second concave strip, forming a groove, with rounded corners welded on the inside, at the bottom of the first. Like the visor, the neck cover is bordered with a 17 mm wide gilded copper setting, placed on horseback. Underneath of the neck cover covered with an ocher sheepskin.
Headband, in gilded copper, stamped with a flaming grenade surrounded by laurel leaves, adheres to the bomb. Its base rests on the visor and its ends are riveted to the bomb in the part hidden by the rosette of the chin strap. The bomb is decorated with three stars placed one on each side and one at the top, diameter of the stars 1.7 cm.
Each chinstrap is made up of 9 cut-out copper ornamental leaves, stamped in relief with laurel leaves, which decrease in width. These scales are fixed by wire crampons, flattened on a leather core lined with black velvet. Rectangular brass buckle with a tightening screw on its front. At the other end strap in black patent calfskin. Upper scale of each chin strap ending in a rounded part stamped with a circular rosette depicting laurel leaves in relief. It is attached to the bomb by a lock.
The bomb is topped with a gilded copper crest composed of two fins, a mask and a covering.
The fins, placed vertically at a distance from each other of 32 mm in front and 25 mm in back, have the shape of a curvilinear triangle convex at its upper part and which connects with the bomb at its base concave forming a scalloped edge.
This rim is attached to the bomb by means of copper screws with a round tallow drop head which are secured inside the helmet by square copper nuts.
The fins are decorated with palmettes and a net at their upper edge; the rim is decorated with water leaves, all stamped in relief.
A tin-plated sheet metal plate joins the upper edges of the fins, fixing their spacing.
The mask serving as the anterior junction of the two fins by means of welding, is stamped with a Medusa head in relief. The covering, also stamped, represents the continuation of the hair of Medusa's head with intertwined serpents.
Crest ornament composed of a socket stamped with water leaves in relief and a lens formed from two stamped shells. Fixed on the front of the crest and supporting a red puff of tuft of horsehair, height 4.5 cm.
Mane of horsehair, dyed black, mounted on a sole of strong nourished cowhide, in which the horsehair is assembled by tinned brass wires with a piece of sheepskin glued to the assembly with strong glue; the space left empty between the two rows of horsehair is filled by a braid which starts from the top and follows the curve of the crest until its junction with the bomb. The mane is attached to the crest by two copper screws with nuts. Mane length approximately 70 cm.
A stamped copper pen holder, height 35 mm, forming a square section socket, fixed obliquely.
Interior trim in black patent leather, gold-plated with iron on the outer edges, cut with seven wolf teeth, each garnished with a metal eyelet.
Senior officer's egret in heron feathers with base in tricolor feathers mounted on whalebone and iron stem. H of visible feathers 29 cm including H of tricolor feathers 5 cm. Olive in silver cannetilles.
France.
Third Republic.
Very good condition, perfect gilding, green lacquered underside of visor later.
NOTE :
Generals' helmets for the 1874 models are always very complicated to authenticate with certainty. Normally, manufacturers mounted the stars on the headband using rivets before attaching the headband to the bomb, as is the case here. But colonels obtaining the rank of general had their helmets modified at the time by removing the headband and then reassembling it. Nowadays, it is often complicated, if not impossible, to determine whether the assembly of these stars is perfectly original. On the helmet we are presenting, the headband appears to have never been dismantled and the general finish of the helmet is of high quality, which suggests the integrity of the piece.
Reference :
27167
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