Brigade General's Cuirassier Helmet, Model 1872 modified 1874, Third Republic.
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BRIGADE GENERAL CUIRASSIER HELMET, MODEL 1872 MODIFIED 1874, THIRD REPUBLIC.
Helmet composed of: a shell; a visor; a neck guard; a copper band; two chinstraps; a crest; a mane; a plume holder; a crest ornament; and an interior lining.
Metal shell, chromed, stamped with a hammer, planed with a hammer. Pierced at the top with five ventilation holes.
Visor inclined at 53 degrees below a horizontal plane passing through the junction of the visor and the shell. Edged with a 17mm wide gilded copper circle placed along its edges and fixed at the ends with a rivet. Underside of visor lined with green waxed leather.
Neck guard composed of: a circular band on its flat surface, welded under the posterior edge of the band that it extends, with three golden brass nails with hemispherical heads riveted on the inside; a second concave band, forming a trough, with rounded angles and welded inside, at the bottom of the first one. Like the visor, the neck guard is edged with a 17mm wide gilded copper trim, placed over the edges. Underside of the neck guard lined with brown leather.
Shell stamped at the back "ALEXIS GODILLOT" and with the punch "E."
Copper band, gilded, stamped with a grenade surrounded by laurel leaves, adhered to the shell. Its base rests on the visor and its ends are riveted to the shell in the part concealed by the chinstrap rosette. The flaming grenade is flanked on each side by a silver star riveted to the band (diameter 1.9 cm).
Each chinstrap is composed of 9 ornamental copper scales, embossed with laurel leaves, decreasing in width.
These scales are fastened with flattened wire staples on a core of black velvet-lined leather. Rectangular brass buckle with a tightening screw on the front. At the other end, black varnished calf strap. The upper scale of each chinstrap terminates in a rounded portion embossed with a rosette in the shape of circular laurel leaves.
The shell is topped with a gilded copper crest composed of two fins, a mask, and a covering.
The fins, placed vertically at a distance of 32 mm in front and 25 mm in the back, have a convex curvilinear triangle shape at their upper part that connects to the shell with a concave base forming a scalloped edge.
This edge is secured to the shell with round-headed copper screws with square copper nuts inside the helmet. The fins are adorned with palmettes and a border along their upper edge; the edge is ornate with embossed water leaves.
A tinplate connects the upper edges of the fins to maintain their spacing.
The mask, serving as the anterior junction for the two fins through soldering, is embossed with a relief image of a Medusa head. The covering, also embossed, features the continuation of the Medusa head's hair with interlaced snakes.
Crest ornament composed of an embossed socket with relief water leaves and a lens formed by two embossed shells. Fixed on the front of the crest and supporting a pompon with a cluster of horsehair.
Black dyed horsehair mane mounted on a thick nourished cowhide sole, in which the hair is assembled with tinned brass threads with a sheepskin piece glued with strong glue on the assembly; the gap between the two rows of hair is filled with a braid that starts from the top and follows the crest curve to its junction with the shell.
The horsehair mane is fastened to the crest with two copper screws and nuts.
An embossed copper plume holder, 35 mm high, forming a square section socket, fixed obliquely.
Interior lining of polished brown leather, cut in seven wolf's teeth with edges gilded with iron, each fitted with a metal eyelet.
Very well-preserved, lacking the brass parts' gilding.
France.
Third Republic.
NOTE:
The authentication of general helmets for the 1874 models is always very difficult. Normally, manufacturers mounted the stars on the band by means of rivets before fixing the band to the shell, as is the case here. However, colonels promoted to the rank of general had their helmets modified at the time by disassembling the band and then reassembling it. Nowadays, it is often complicated, if not impossible, to determine if the mounting of these stars is perfectly original. On the helmet that we present, it seems that the band has never been disassembled and the overall finish of the helmet is of high quality, which suggests the integrity of the piece.
Helmet composed of: a shell; a visor; a neck guard; a copper band; two chinstraps; a crest; a mane; a plume holder; a crest ornament; and an interior lining.
Metal shell, chromed, stamped with a hammer, planed with a hammer. Pierced at the top with five ventilation holes.
Visor inclined at 53 degrees below a horizontal plane passing through the junction of the visor and the shell. Edged with a 17mm wide gilded copper circle placed along its edges and fixed at the ends with a rivet. Underside of visor lined with green waxed leather.
Neck guard composed of: a circular band on its flat surface, welded under the posterior edge of the band that it extends, with three golden brass nails with hemispherical heads riveted on the inside; a second concave band, forming a trough, with rounded angles and welded inside, at the bottom of the first one. Like the visor, the neck guard is edged with a 17mm wide gilded copper trim, placed over the edges. Underside of the neck guard lined with brown leather.
Shell stamped at the back "ALEXIS GODILLOT" and with the punch "E."
Copper band, gilded, stamped with a grenade surrounded by laurel leaves, adhered to the shell. Its base rests on the visor and its ends are riveted to the shell in the part concealed by the chinstrap rosette. The flaming grenade is flanked on each side by a silver star riveted to the band (diameter 1.9 cm).
Each chinstrap is composed of 9 ornamental copper scales, embossed with laurel leaves, decreasing in width.
These scales are fastened with flattened wire staples on a core of black velvet-lined leather. Rectangular brass buckle with a tightening screw on the front. At the other end, black varnished calf strap. The upper scale of each chinstrap terminates in a rounded portion embossed with a rosette in the shape of circular laurel leaves.
The shell is topped with a gilded copper crest composed of two fins, a mask, and a covering.
The fins, placed vertically at a distance of 32 mm in front and 25 mm in the back, have a convex curvilinear triangle shape at their upper part that connects to the shell with a concave base forming a scalloped edge.
This edge is secured to the shell with round-headed copper screws with square copper nuts inside the helmet. The fins are adorned with palmettes and a border along their upper edge; the edge is ornate with embossed water leaves.
A tinplate connects the upper edges of the fins to maintain their spacing.
The mask, serving as the anterior junction for the two fins through soldering, is embossed with a relief image of a Medusa head. The covering, also embossed, features the continuation of the Medusa head's hair with interlaced snakes.
Crest ornament composed of an embossed socket with relief water leaves and a lens formed by two embossed shells. Fixed on the front of the crest and supporting a pompon with a cluster of horsehair.
Black dyed horsehair mane mounted on a thick nourished cowhide sole, in which the hair is assembled with tinned brass threads with a sheepskin piece glued with strong glue on the assembly; the gap between the two rows of hair is filled with a braid that starts from the top and follows the crest curve to its junction with the shell.
The horsehair mane is fastened to the crest with two copper screws and nuts.
An embossed copper plume holder, 35 mm high, forming a square section socket, fixed obliquely.
Interior lining of polished brown leather, cut in seven wolf's teeth with edges gilded with iron, each fitted with a metal eyelet.
Very well-preserved, lacking the brass parts' gilding.
France.
Third Republic.
NOTE:
The authentication of general helmets for the 1874 models is always very difficult. Normally, manufacturers mounted the stars on the band by means of rivets before fixing the band to the shell, as is the case here. However, colonels promoted to the rank of general had their helmets modified at the time by disassembling the band and then reassembling it. Nowadays, it is often complicated, if not impossible, to determine if the mounting of these stars is perfectly original. On the helmet that we present, it seems that the band has never been disassembled and the overall finish of the helmet is of high quality, which suggests the integrity of the piece.
Reference :
8660
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