CASQUE ET CUIRASSE D'OFFICIER DE CUIRASSIERS, modèle 1872 modifié 1874, Troisième République.
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OFFICER'S HELMET AND CUIRASS, Cuirassier model 1872 modified 1874, Third Republic.
HELMET:
It consists of a bowl, a visor, a neck guard, a headband, two chin straps, a crest, a mane of black horsehair, a tassel adorned with scarlet horsehair, a plume holder, and an interior lining. All fittings are gilded copper with a matte and burnished finish. The bowl, a single stamped piece, is made of chrome-plated aluminum sheet metal. It is stamped "SH BREVETÉ SGDG" (under government warranty). The visor is slanted at 53 degrees below a horizontal plane passing through the junction of the visor and the bowl. It is bordered by a 7.6 mm wide gilded copper circle placed on its edges and fixed at the ends by a rivet. The underside of the visor is lined with green leather. Visor width is 5.6 cm.
The neck guard is composed of: a circular band on its flat side, welded under the rear edge of the extending band, with three gilded brass nails with spherical heads riveted inside; a second concave band, forming a groove with rounded angles and welded inside, at the bottom of the first one. Like the visor, the neck guard is bordered by a 7 mm wide gilded copper band placed on its edges. Neck guard lining is ocher calf leather.
The gilded copper headband is stamped with a flaming grenade surrounded by laurel leaves, adherent to the bowl. Its base rests on the visor, and its ends are riveted to the bowl in the part concealed by the chin strap rosette. Front height of the headband is 6.5 cm.
Each chin strap is comprised of 9 gilded copper decorative scales, embossed in relief with laurel leaves, decreasing in width (max width 4.2 cm, min width 2 cm). These scales are fastened with flattened wire nails on a leather core lined with black velvet. At the other end, there is a black varnished cowhide strap end. The top scale of each chin strap is monobloc embossed with a laurel leaf and a circular rosette motif of relief laurel leaves (rosette diameter 5.3 cm). This rosette is fixed to the bowl by means of a lock.
The bowl is topped with a gilded copper crest consisting of two fins, a mask, and a cover. The fins, vertically spaced 3.2 cm in front and 2.5 cm at the back, have a convex curvilinear triangular shape at the top, connecting to the bowl with a concave base forming a scalloped rim. This rim is attached to the bowl by 4 round-headed gilded copper screws stopped inside the helmet by square copper nuts. The fins are adorned with palmettes and a border fillet; the rim is decorated with water leaves, all embossed in relief. A tinplate joins the upper edges of the fins, fixing their separation. The mask, serving as the front junction between the two fins through a solder, is embossed with a relief head of Medusa. The cover, also embossed, represents the continuation of the Medusa head's hair with intertwined snakes. The crest ornament consists of a sleeve 2.4 cm high, diameter 4.6 cm, embossed with relief water leaves and a lens 2.5 cm high and 1.9 cm in diameter, formed by two embossed shells. Attached to the front of the crest is a scarlet tassel of horsehair tufts (height 5 cm).
The black dyed horsehair mane, approximately 70 cm long, is mounted on a sturdy nourished cowhide sole, where the hairs are tied with tinned brass wire with a sheepskin piece glued with strong glue to the assembly; the space between the two rows of hairs is filled with a braid following the crest curve from the top to its junction with the bowl.
The brass plume holder is embossed and engraved with acanthus leaves, height 3.5 cm, with a square section socket, fixed obliquely.
The interior lining is black leather cut into seven gold enamel fangs.
Very good condition, chrome oxidation on the bowl, gilding of the fittings in new condition, perfect condition of the interior padding.
LIGHT CUIRASS:
Model adopted on March 31, 1855. All brass parts are gilded. Chrome steel cuirass, black lacquered interior. The breastplate and backplate are adorned with six rivets. Each of the two shoulder straps has a black cowhide body trimmed with two gilded brass chains; the body is finished with a molded rectangular buttonhole plate ornamented with laurel leaves on a textured background with a heart-shaped leather end; the shoulder strap holder is gilded brass with three rivets, the chain-link plates are covered by a lion's head. Black varnished leather belt with a gilded brass roller buckle.
Very good condition, slight oxidation on the chromed parts.
France.
Third Republic.
HELMET:
It consists of a bowl, a visor, a neck guard, a headband, two chin straps, a crest, a mane of black horsehair, a tassel adorned with scarlet horsehair, a plume holder, and an interior lining. All fittings are gilded copper with a matte and burnished finish. The bowl, a single stamped piece, is made of chrome-plated aluminum sheet metal. It is stamped "SH BREVETÉ SGDG" (under government warranty). The visor is slanted at 53 degrees below a horizontal plane passing through the junction of the visor and the bowl. It is bordered by a 7.6 mm wide gilded copper circle placed on its edges and fixed at the ends by a rivet. The underside of the visor is lined with green leather. Visor width is 5.6 cm.
The neck guard is composed of: a circular band on its flat side, welded under the rear edge of the extending band, with three gilded brass nails with spherical heads riveted inside; a second concave band, forming a groove with rounded angles and welded inside, at the bottom of the first one. Like the visor, the neck guard is bordered by a 7 mm wide gilded copper band placed on its edges. Neck guard lining is ocher calf leather.
The gilded copper headband is stamped with a flaming grenade surrounded by laurel leaves, adherent to the bowl. Its base rests on the visor, and its ends are riveted to the bowl in the part concealed by the chin strap rosette. Front height of the headband is 6.5 cm.
Each chin strap is comprised of 9 gilded copper decorative scales, embossed in relief with laurel leaves, decreasing in width (max width 4.2 cm, min width 2 cm). These scales are fastened with flattened wire nails on a leather core lined with black velvet. At the other end, there is a black varnished cowhide strap end. The top scale of each chin strap is monobloc embossed with a laurel leaf and a circular rosette motif of relief laurel leaves (rosette diameter 5.3 cm). This rosette is fixed to the bowl by means of a lock.
The bowl is topped with a gilded copper crest consisting of two fins, a mask, and a cover. The fins, vertically spaced 3.2 cm in front and 2.5 cm at the back, have a convex curvilinear triangular shape at the top, connecting to the bowl with a concave base forming a scalloped rim. This rim is attached to the bowl by 4 round-headed gilded copper screws stopped inside the helmet by square copper nuts. The fins are adorned with palmettes and a border fillet; the rim is decorated with water leaves, all embossed in relief. A tinplate joins the upper edges of the fins, fixing their separation. The mask, serving as the front junction between the two fins through a solder, is embossed with a relief head of Medusa. The cover, also embossed, represents the continuation of the Medusa head's hair with intertwined snakes. The crest ornament consists of a sleeve 2.4 cm high, diameter 4.6 cm, embossed with relief water leaves and a lens 2.5 cm high and 1.9 cm in diameter, formed by two embossed shells. Attached to the front of the crest is a scarlet tassel of horsehair tufts (height 5 cm).
The black dyed horsehair mane, approximately 70 cm long, is mounted on a sturdy nourished cowhide sole, where the hairs are tied with tinned brass wire with a sheepskin piece glued with strong glue to the assembly; the space between the two rows of hairs is filled with a braid following the crest curve from the top to its junction with the bowl.
The brass plume holder is embossed and engraved with acanthus leaves, height 3.5 cm, with a square section socket, fixed obliquely.
The interior lining is black leather cut into seven gold enamel fangs.
Very good condition, chrome oxidation on the bowl, gilding of the fittings in new condition, perfect condition of the interior padding.
LIGHT CUIRASS:
Model adopted on March 31, 1855. All brass parts are gilded. Chrome steel cuirass, black lacquered interior. The breastplate and backplate are adorned with six rivets. Each of the two shoulder straps has a black cowhide body trimmed with two gilded brass chains; the body is finished with a molded rectangular buttonhole plate ornamented with laurel leaves on a textured background with a heart-shaped leather end; the shoulder strap holder is gilded brass with three rivets, the chain-link plates are covered by a lion's head. Black varnished leather belt with a gilded brass roller buckle.
Very good condition, slight oxidation on the chromed parts.
France.
Third Republic.
Reference :
25795
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