HELMET AND BREATHER TROUP OF CUIRASSIERS, model 1872 modified 1874, Third Republic. 29156

HELMET AND BREATHER TROUP OF CUIRASSIERS, model 1872 modified 1874, Third Republic. 29156

HELMET entirely in chrome-plated steel with brass fittings.
Bomb in chrome-plated and pressed steel sheet, pierced at the top with three suction cup holes.
Visor, width 5.5 cm, lined with a 6 mm wide brass rod placed astride its edges.
Neck cover composed of a circular strip on its flat, welded under the rear edge of the strip which it extends, comprising three gilded brass nails with half-spherical heads riveted on the inside; a second concave strip, forming a groove, with rounded and welded angles on the inside, at the bottom of the first, bordered by a copper crimp placed astride.
Headband, in brass, stamped with a flaming grenade, surrounded by laurel leaves, adhering 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.
Each chinstrap is made up of 15 copper scales cut alternately with three or two festoons decreasing in width, fixed by wire crampons, flattened on a leather core lined with a black sheepskin (maximum width 3.5 cm, minimum width 1.9 cm). The right chin strap is fitted at its end with a small riveted copper plate to which a buckle also made of copper is attached. At the end of the left one there is a similar plate enclosing a copper D topped with a black varnished calfskin strap. The upper scale of each chin strap is covered with a copper rosette, circular in shape (diameter 4.5 cm) representing four rushes in relief.
Copper crest composed of two fins, a mask and a cover fixed with four screws (two per fin). Fins 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.
Mask serving as an anterior junction to the two fins by means of welding, 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 and a lens formed of two shells stamped with flowers and palmettes. Fixed on the front of the crest and supporting a red puff of tuft of horsehair.
Black horsehair mane approximately 75 cm long.
Stamped copper plume holder, H 3.5 cm, forming a socket, fixed obliquely, from bottom to top, to the bomb, a little in front of the left chin strap, by means of two threaded rods passing through the bomb.
Interior trim in black seven-tooth waxed leather with brass grommets.

BREATHER troop of Cuirassiers, model 1855 modified 1891, Third Republic.
In cast steel, quenched in rapeseed oil and blue annealed in a sand bath. Fitted shape at the waist, the base has a flared shape; the busk of the bib is accentuated and the edge of the backrest is pronounced. The plastron is garnished with 4 brass rivets, and the back with 6.
On the outside, breastplate numbered “285”. It is signed inside “Mre d’armes de Châtt” “January 1880” “2nd size extra width n° 2” “n° 7642”.
File initially registered (number erased) and re-registered “112”. Signed inside "Mre d'armes de Châtt" "May 1880" "2nd size extra width n° 2" "n° 809".Each of the two straps has a body in black cowhide, garnished with two chains in brass; the body is finished with a brass buttonhole plate with a heart-shaped leather tip; brass suspender holder with 3 rivets.
Brown leather belt with brass buckles.

France.
Third Republic.
Breastplate: good condition. Belt complete in leather but broken at both ends.
Helmet: Fairly good condition. Chin strap complete but broken, bottom of the sole of the mane is missing despite a full mane, top of the crest as well as the rear part of the helmet oxidized, probably due to a wet mane at the time.