HELMET AND BREASTPLATE FOR A CUIRASSIER TROOPER, model 1872 modified 1874, Third Republic. Item number 29156.
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HELMET AND BREASTPLATE, TROOP OF CUIRASSIERS, model 1872 modified 1874, Third Republic. 29156
HELMET entirely in chromed steel with brass trimmings.
Shell in chromed and stamped steel, pierced at the top with three suction holes.
Visor, width 5.5 cm, edged with a 6 mm wide brass strip placed across its edges.
Neck guard composed of a circular band on its flat surface, welded under the posterior edge of the band it extends from, with three golden brass riveted half-spherical head nails inside; a second concave band, forming a groove with rounded corners and welded on the inside, at the bottom of the first band, bordered by a copper setting placed on top.
Headband, in brass, stamped with a flaming grenade surrounded by laurel leaves, adhering to the shell. Its base rests on the visor and its ends are riveted to the shell in the part concealed by the rosette of the chinstrap.
Each chinstrap is composed of 15 copper scales cut alternately in three or two festoons decreasing in width, fixed by flattened wire cramps on a leather core lined with black sheepskin (max width 3.5 cm, min width 1.9 cm). The right chinstrap is trimmed at its end with a small copper plate riveted to which a buckle also in copper is fastened. At the end of the left one, there is a similar plate encasing a copper D with a black varnished calf leather counter strap. The upper scale of each chinstrap is covered with a circular copper rosette, 4.5 cm in diameter, depicting four raised strips.
Copper crest composed of two fins, a mask, and a covering fixed by four screws (two per fin). Fins adorned with palmettes and a border net on their upper edge; the rim is ornamented with water leaves, all stamped in relief. A tinned sheet metal plate connects the upper edges of the fins fixing their separation.
The mask acting as the anterior junction for the two fins by means of a solder, stamped with a relief head of Medusa. The covering, also stamped, represents the continuation of the Medusa head's hair with intertwined snakes. Ornament of the crest composed of a socket and a lens formed by two shells stamped with flowers and palmettes. It is fixed on the front of the crest supporting a scarlet horsehair pom-pom.
Black horsehair mane about 75 cm long.
Studded copper plume holder, H 3.5 cm, forming a socket, fixed obliquely, from bottom to top, on the shell, a little ahead of the left chinstrap, with two threaded rods through the shell.
Black waxed leather interior lining with seven wolf's teeth and brass eyelets.
TROOP CUIRASS, model 1855 modified 1891, Third Republic
Made of cast steel, oil-hardened and blue annealed on sand bath. Curved shape at the waist, flared base; the plastron has an emphasized bust and the dorsal ridge is pronounced. The breastplate is adorned with 4 brass rivets, and the backplate with 6.
On the exterior, breastplate marked "285". Inside signed "Mre d'armes de Châtt" "January 1880" "2nd wide size extra width n° 2" "n° 7642".
Initially numbered backplate (number erased) and re-numbered "112". Signed inside "Mre d'armes de Châtt" "May 1880" "2nd wide size extra width n° 2" "n° 809". Each of the two straps has a black cow leather body, adorned with two brass chains; the body is finished with a brass buttonhole plate with a heart-shaped leather end; brass shoulder straps with 3 rivets. Brown leather belt with brass buckles.
France.
Third Republic.
Breastplate: good condition. Belt complete in terms of leather but broken at both ends.
Helmet: fairly good condition. Chinstrap in good condition but broken, bottom of the crest socket missing despite a supplied mane, top of the crest and back part of the helmet oxidized, likely due to a wet mane back in the day.
HELMET entirely in chromed steel with brass trimmings.
Shell in chromed and stamped steel, pierced at the top with three suction holes.
Visor, width 5.5 cm, edged with a 6 mm wide brass strip placed across its edges.
Neck guard composed of a circular band on its flat surface, welded under the posterior edge of the band it extends from, with three golden brass riveted half-spherical head nails inside; a second concave band, forming a groove with rounded corners and welded on the inside, at the bottom of the first band, bordered by a copper setting placed on top.
Headband, in brass, stamped with a flaming grenade surrounded by laurel leaves, adhering to the shell. Its base rests on the visor and its ends are riveted to the shell in the part concealed by the rosette of the chinstrap.
Each chinstrap is composed of 15 copper scales cut alternately in three or two festoons decreasing in width, fixed by flattened wire cramps on a leather core lined with black sheepskin (max width 3.5 cm, min width 1.9 cm). The right chinstrap is trimmed at its end with a small copper plate riveted to which a buckle also in copper is fastened. At the end of the left one, there is a similar plate encasing a copper D with a black varnished calf leather counter strap. The upper scale of each chinstrap is covered with a circular copper rosette, 4.5 cm in diameter, depicting four raised strips.
Copper crest composed of two fins, a mask, and a covering fixed by four screws (two per fin). Fins adorned with palmettes and a border net on their upper edge; the rim is ornamented with water leaves, all stamped in relief. A tinned sheet metal plate connects the upper edges of the fins fixing their separation.
The mask acting as the anterior junction for the two fins by means of a solder, stamped with a relief head of Medusa. The covering, also stamped, represents the continuation of the Medusa head's hair with intertwined snakes. Ornament of the crest composed of a socket and a lens formed by two shells stamped with flowers and palmettes. It is fixed on the front of the crest supporting a scarlet horsehair pom-pom.
Black horsehair mane about 75 cm long.
Studded copper plume holder, H 3.5 cm, forming a socket, fixed obliquely, from bottom to top, on the shell, a little ahead of the left chinstrap, with two threaded rods through the shell.
Black waxed leather interior lining with seven wolf's teeth and brass eyelets.
TROOP CUIRASS, model 1855 modified 1891, Third Republic
Made of cast steel, oil-hardened and blue annealed on sand bath. Curved shape at the waist, flared base; the plastron has an emphasized bust and the dorsal ridge is pronounced. The breastplate is adorned with 4 brass rivets, and the backplate with 6.
On the exterior, breastplate marked "285". Inside signed "Mre d'armes de Châtt" "January 1880" "2nd wide size extra width n° 2" "n° 7642".
Initially numbered backplate (number erased) and re-numbered "112". Signed inside "Mre d'armes de Châtt" "May 1880" "2nd wide size extra width n° 2" "n° 809". Each of the two straps has a black cow leather body, adorned with two brass chains; the body is finished with a brass buttonhole plate with a heart-shaped leather end; brass shoulder straps with 3 rivets. Brown leather belt with brass buckles.
France.
Third Republic.
Breastplate: good condition. Belt complete in terms of leather but broken at both ends.
Helmet: fairly good condition. Chinstrap in good condition but broken, bottom of the crest socket missing despite a supplied mane, top of the crest and back part of the helmet oxidized, likely due to a wet mane back in the day.
Reference :
29156
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