Light Infantry Voltigeurs vest in accordance with Bardin regulations from 1812, First Empire.
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VOLTIGEUR'S VEST OF THE 5th LIGHT INFANTRY BATTALION, BARDIN REGULATION OF 1812, First Empire.
White wool vest buttoning straight at the front with nine buttonholes adorned with nine small silver-colored metal uniform buttons (diameter 1.5 cm) decorated with a hunting horn and the number "5". Height at the front 41 cm (excluding collar), height at the back 43.5 cm (excluding collar). At the lower part, on each side, a straight pocket is placed 13.5 cm from the bottom of the vest, with each pocket being 17.4 cm wide. Collar in jonquil wool, 7 cm high, closed with three steel hooks and eyes. Shoulder straps in white wool, width 3.4 cm at the sleeve level and 4 cm at the button level, length 9.5 cm, stitched on the sleeve and attached to the bottom of the collar with a small uniform button. Straight sleeve cuffs 6 cm high closing with a small uniform button placed 8.5 cm from the bottom of the sleeve. Interior lining and collar in ecru canvas with a white wool return at the level of the buttonholes and collar for a width of 5 cm.
Very good state of conservation, some tiny moth holes, the buttons at the sleeve cuffs are not the same number (22 and 17).
France.
First Empire.
NOTES:
The 1812 model vest is an extremely rare uniform piece. Currently, only seven authentic examples are known worldwide:
- Three in private collections: the one we present, a second identical one but with dark blue cuffs, and one from the Imperial Guard artillery train.
- One light infantry skirmisher example (blue uniform, jonquil collar, jonquil cuffs) at the Museum of Stockholm in Sweden.
- One rifleman example (white uniform, scarlet collar, white cuffs, white shoulder straps) at the Museum of Stockholm in Sweden.
- One rifleman example (white uniform, scarlet collar, white cuffs, scarlet piped white shoulder straps) at the Museum of Borodino in Russia.
- One rifleman example (white uniform, scarlet collar, white cuffs) from the former collection of René Cochelin.
Period text: Bardin Regulation, 1812:
"Article 1 – Composition of the clothing
1 - Detail of the clothing items
The clothing of Non-Commissioned Officers and soldiers of the Infantry, Artillery, Sappers and Veterans Corps, will consist of a jacket-coat, a sleeved vest, pants, undergarments, canvas pants, and a coat.
2 - The clothing shall be made to the detailed proportions below, with specified exceptions for each unit. The wool parts shall be shrunk or dampened before being made into clothing.
3 - The jackets and vests shall be cut to fit the size and bulk of the men, loose enough for the soldiers to easily perform ordered movements without hindrance or risk of tearing the seams: for this purpose, the chests shall be made very wide; the back of the jacket and vest, from sleeve to sleeve, shall have sufficient room, as well as the armholes. Measurements shall be taken from each man, across the chest with shoulders squared and back straight. When measuring the back, the men shall extend their arms forward. Once the lapels have been fastened, two fingers should fit underneath. The pants shall be roomy enough to comfortably fit the undergarments and allow the men to kneel without difficulty.
Article 3 - Vest
12 - Vest proportions
The sleeved vest shall be made of wool in the color specified for each unit; it shall be round cut and lined with canvas along with its sleeves. The front shall be 15mm shorter than the lapels of the jacket. The front buttonholes shall be sewn with thread and shall cross on a small strip of canvas, or straight thread, left along the buttons to reinforce the buttonholes. There shall be nine buttonholes at equal distances in front. The top and bottom buttons shall be 20mm from the top and bottom edges.
A pocket shall be placed on the right.
At the lower waist, on the left side, between the two seams, a cloth button shall be placed to attach the cartridge box. This button shall be 25mm from the bottom of the vest. The back of the vest shall be longer than the front, by 60, 65, or 70mm depending on size.
13 - Vest collar
The collar shall be in the same wool color as the jacket background, closing with two hooks.
It shall be 40, 45, or 50mm depending on size.
14 - Vest shoulder straps
A wool strap in the background color of the jacket, lined with the vest background color, shall be attached to each shoulder of the vest; this strap, of equal width at the top and bottom, shall be 35mm wide.
It shall terminate squarely at the bottom and be sewn at the middle of the shoulder, at the seam height. Its upper part, ending in a round shape, shall be secured with a small uniform button, precisely placed below the collar seam.
15 - Vest sleeves and cuffs
The vest sleeves shall be 15mm shorter than the jacket sleeves. The cuffs shall be in the background jacket color, open at the outer seam of the sleeve, without tabs or trim. The cuff shall be 70mm high. The opening shall extend 50mm above the cuff and be closed with two uniform buttons, one in the center of the cuff and the second 25mm from the cuff. For the Light Infantry, see n° 978.
16 - Vest pockets
The pockets of the vest, including a 30mm tab, shall be positioned 100mm from the bottom of the front of the vest. The tab length shall be 180mm; it shall be 50mm from the button center. The right pocket depth shall be 90mm. The left pocket shall be simulated.
Article 4 - Buttons
17 - Description of buttons
The jacket and vest buttons shall be in copper or tin (see table n°) and in accordance with the design (see n°); they shall be solid with the shank pierced by two cross-shaped holes, rounded at the edges. The large buttons shall have a diameter of 22mm and the small ones 16mm.
Each jacket shall have 8 large buttons and 22 small ones, as follows: 3 large on each pocket and 2 large at the lower waist; 7 small on each lapel, 3 on each cuff, 1 on each shoulder strap. There shall be 15 small buttons on the vest, as follows: 9 on the front, 1 on each shoulder strap, 2 on each cuff."
White wool vest buttoning straight at the front with nine buttonholes adorned with nine small silver-colored metal uniform buttons (diameter 1.5 cm) decorated with a hunting horn and the number "5". Height at the front 41 cm (excluding collar), height at the back 43.5 cm (excluding collar). At the lower part, on each side, a straight pocket is placed 13.5 cm from the bottom of the vest, with each pocket being 17.4 cm wide. Collar in jonquil wool, 7 cm high, closed with three steel hooks and eyes. Shoulder straps in white wool, width 3.4 cm at the sleeve level and 4 cm at the button level, length 9.5 cm, stitched on the sleeve and attached to the bottom of the collar with a small uniform button. Straight sleeve cuffs 6 cm high closing with a small uniform button placed 8.5 cm from the bottom of the sleeve. Interior lining and collar in ecru canvas with a white wool return at the level of the buttonholes and collar for a width of 5 cm.
Very good state of conservation, some tiny moth holes, the buttons at the sleeve cuffs are not the same number (22 and 17).
France.
First Empire.
NOTES:
The 1812 model vest is an extremely rare uniform piece. Currently, only seven authentic examples are known worldwide:
- Three in private collections: the one we present, a second identical one but with dark blue cuffs, and one from the Imperial Guard artillery train.
- One light infantry skirmisher example (blue uniform, jonquil collar, jonquil cuffs) at the Museum of Stockholm in Sweden.
- One rifleman example (white uniform, scarlet collar, white cuffs, white shoulder straps) at the Museum of Stockholm in Sweden.
- One rifleman example (white uniform, scarlet collar, white cuffs, scarlet piped white shoulder straps) at the Museum of Borodino in Russia.
- One rifleman example (white uniform, scarlet collar, white cuffs) from the former collection of René Cochelin.
Period text: Bardin Regulation, 1812:
"Article 1 – Composition of the clothing
1 - Detail of the clothing items
The clothing of Non-Commissioned Officers and soldiers of the Infantry, Artillery, Sappers and Veterans Corps, will consist of a jacket-coat, a sleeved vest, pants, undergarments, canvas pants, and a coat.
2 - The clothing shall be made to the detailed proportions below, with specified exceptions for each unit. The wool parts shall be shrunk or dampened before being made into clothing.
3 - The jackets and vests shall be cut to fit the size and bulk of the men, loose enough for the soldiers to easily perform ordered movements without hindrance or risk of tearing the seams: for this purpose, the chests shall be made very wide; the back of the jacket and vest, from sleeve to sleeve, shall have sufficient room, as well as the armholes. Measurements shall be taken from each man, across the chest with shoulders squared and back straight. When measuring the back, the men shall extend their arms forward. Once the lapels have been fastened, two fingers should fit underneath. The pants shall be roomy enough to comfortably fit the undergarments and allow the men to kneel without difficulty.
Article 3 - Vest
12 - Vest proportions
The sleeved vest shall be made of wool in the color specified for each unit; it shall be round cut and lined with canvas along with its sleeves. The front shall be 15mm shorter than the lapels of the jacket. The front buttonholes shall be sewn with thread and shall cross on a small strip of canvas, or straight thread, left along the buttons to reinforce the buttonholes. There shall be nine buttonholes at equal distances in front. The top and bottom buttons shall be 20mm from the top and bottom edges.
A pocket shall be placed on the right.
At the lower waist, on the left side, between the two seams, a cloth button shall be placed to attach the cartridge box. This button shall be 25mm from the bottom of the vest. The back of the vest shall be longer than the front, by 60, 65, or 70mm depending on size.
13 - Vest collar
The collar shall be in the same wool color as the jacket background, closing with two hooks.
It shall be 40, 45, or 50mm depending on size.
14 - Vest shoulder straps
A wool strap in the background color of the jacket, lined with the vest background color, shall be attached to each shoulder of the vest; this strap, of equal width at the top and bottom, shall be 35mm wide.
It shall terminate squarely at the bottom and be sewn at the middle of the shoulder, at the seam height. Its upper part, ending in a round shape, shall be secured with a small uniform button, precisely placed below the collar seam.
15 - Vest sleeves and cuffs
The vest sleeves shall be 15mm shorter than the jacket sleeves. The cuffs shall be in the background jacket color, open at the outer seam of the sleeve, without tabs or trim. The cuff shall be 70mm high. The opening shall extend 50mm above the cuff and be closed with two uniform buttons, one in the center of the cuff and the second 25mm from the cuff. For the Light Infantry, see n° 978.
16 - Vest pockets
The pockets of the vest, including a 30mm tab, shall be positioned 100mm from the bottom of the front of the vest. The tab length shall be 180mm; it shall be 50mm from the button center. The right pocket depth shall be 90mm. The left pocket shall be simulated.
Article 4 - Buttons
17 - Description of buttons
The jacket and vest buttons shall be in copper or tin (see table n°) and in accordance with the design (see n°); they shall be solid with the shank pierced by two cross-shaped holes, rounded at the edges. The large buttons shall have a diameter of 22mm and the small ones 16mm.
Each jacket shall have 8 large buttons and 22 small ones, as follows: 3 large on each pocket and 2 large at the lower waist; 7 small on each lapel, 3 on each cuff, 1 on each shoulder strap. There shall be 15 small buttons on the vest, as follows: 9 on the front, 1 on each shoulder strap, 2 on each cuff."
Reference :
20935
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