OFFICER'S HELMET OF GENDARMERIE ON HORSEBACK, model 1912, Third Republic. 29561-1R
Helmet composed of: a shell; a visor; a neck guard; a headband; two chin straps; a crest; a mane; a plume holder; and an interior lining.
The shell, made of a single piece of brass sheet metal, is stamped with a balancer, hammered flat, and polished with a brush. It is pierced at the top with three suction cup holes (1.5 cm in diameter). Shell depth is 12.5 cm.
The visor, also made of brass sheet metal, is inclined at 53 degrees below a horizontal plane passing through the junction of the visor and the shell. It is bordered by a 8 mm wide silver-plated nickel silver circle placed over its edges and secured by five rivets. The underside of the visor is lined with black leather. Complete visor width is 5.4 cm.
The neck guard, also made of brass sheet metal following the model for cuirassiers and dragoons, consists of: a circular band on the flat side, welded under the posterior edge of the band it extends, with three golden nickel silver dome-head rivets on the inside; a second concave band, forming a groove, with rounded angles welded inside, at the bottom of the first band. Like the visor, the neck guard is bordered by a 7 mm wide gold-plated copper edging, applied flush. It is lined with ivory skin. Like the visor, the neck guard is bordered by an 8 mm wide silver-plated nickel silver edging applied flush. The underside of the neck guard is lined with lacquered ochre calfskin.
The headband, in silver-plated nickel silver, stamped with a flaming grenade encircled by laurel leaves, is adhered to the shell. Its base rests on the visor and its ends are riveted to the shell in the area covered by the chin strap rosette. Headband width is 6.5 cm.
Each chin strap consists of ten silver-plated nickel silver scales, stamped and cut in the shape of laurel leaves, decreasing in width from the top scale, which is 3.5 cm, to the last scale, which is only 2 cm wide.
These scales are attached by flattened wire staples on a leather core lined with black leather covered with black velvet. The right chin strap is adorned at its end with a small silver-plated nickel silver loop. The left chin strap end is fitted with a black varnished calfskin throat guard. The upper scale of each chin strap is embossed in relief at the end with a 50 mm diameter rosette depicting a lion's head framed by a triple beaded band, the center one being beaded.
The shell is surmounted by a copper crest composed of two fins, and a mask in silver-plated nickel silver.
The fins, positioned vertically at a distance of 3.2 cm in the front and 2.5 cm at the back, have a convex curvilinear triangle shape at the upper part, connecting to the shell with a concave base forming a scalloped rim.
This rim is fastened to the shell by two silver-plated nickel silver rounded drop-shaped screws, stopped inside the helmet by square copper nuts.
The fins are embellished with acanthus leaves and palmettes, and a molding representing two laurel branches with a central palmette; the rim is adorned with water leaves, all embossed in relief.
A tin-plated plate joins the upper edges of the fins, fixing their separation.
The mask serving as an anterior junction between the two fins by means of a solder, is embossed in relief with a Medusa head.
A mane of horsehair cut into a brush and finished with a floating tail, dyed in black. It is mounted on a sole of strong nourished cowhide leather, in which the hair is assembled with tinned brass wires with a leather piece glued with strong adhesive on the assembly. The mane is fixed to the crest by two copper screws with nuts.
Height approximately 6 cm, length approximately 75 cm.
A silver-plated nickel silver plume holder, embossed and engraved with laurel leaves, height 3.5 cm, forming a socket, is fixed obliquely from bottom to top to the shell, slightly in front of the left chin strap, by two threaded rods passing through the shell.
The interior lining consists of a turban and a cap. The turban is made of felt, in one piece, attached by two chin strap plates. The cap is made of ochre lacquered leather cut into seven wolf teeth.
France.
Third Republic.
Very good condition.
NOTE:
Officer helmets of the Gendarmerie are much rarer than those of the Dragoons or Cuirassiers.
Reference :
29561-1R