HELMET, CUIRASS, QUILTED VEST, EPAULETTES, AND AGLETS FOR THE TROOPS OF THE CENT-GARDES SQUADRON OF EMPEROR NAPOLEON III, Second Empire. 33563

HELMET, BREASTPLATE, QUILTED VEST, EPAULETTES, AND AIGUILLETTES OF THE TROOP OF THE CENT-GUARDS SQUADRON OF EMPEROR NAPOLEON III, Second Empire. 33563

HELMET: steel skullcap, depth measured from the bottom of the rosettes 14 cm. Steel visor edged with a brass strip folded over the outside edge, visor width 5.5 cm, lined inside with green waxed leather. Steel neck guard edged with a brass strip folded over the outside edge, lined with black waxed Morocco leather. Skullcap pierced with two suction holes. Marked at the back with "DE LA CHAUSSÉE" and numbered "39" and dated "56." Front headband embossed in brass depicting an "N" surmounted by the imperial crown and framed by two laurel branches tied with a ribbon. Crest embossed in brass, H 10 cm, width 3.7 cm, composed of two fins representing a series of thirteen decreasing compartments towards the back and a mask decorated with prominent flat molding with a relief Medusa head at the top. Each fin is attached to the skullcap with four brass screws with semi-spherical heads and a screw at the base of the mask also securing the top of the front headband.
Aigrette holder composed of a 6 cm diameter, 2.5 cm high brass relief stamped with laurel leaves, a brass socket stamped with laurel leaves measuring 2.8 cm in diameter, 3.5 cm high. From the socket emerges a 6.5 cm high white horsehair plume.
White horsehair mane mounted on a leather sole, attached to the skullcap with a brass screw, approximately 70 cm long, white horsehair braid. Brass plume holder depicting laurel leaves, 4.2 cm high, Ø 1.8 cm at the top, slightly tapering towards the base.
Chinstraps: each composed of a round rosette, Ø 4.9 cm, embossed in brass in relief of a lion's head bordered by a prominent molding, leather chinstrap lined with black Morocco leather and covered with ten embossed relief scales shaped like laurel leaves (the widest measuring 4 cm wide and the smallest 1.8 cm), chinstrap length 18.5 cm, the chinstraps are finished on one side with a leather strap and on the other with a square brass buckle with a keeper and prong.
Black waxed leather interior liner cut in a wolf's teeth pattern.
Total height of helmet 36 cm.
Scarlet feather plume, feather height 20 cm, mounted on a whalebone and finished with a double brass hook (specific to the Cent-Guards). Total height 25.5 cm. Scarlet wool pompom, H 4.5 cm, Ø 4 cm, mounted on a tubular brass base.
Very good condition, except for the interior liner in poor condition with wear and losses.

LIGHT BREASTPLATE of a non-commissioned officer, made of curved steel sheet, a flange frames the two parts: breastplate and backplate, adorned with a series of brass rivets with hemispherical heads; collar and armholes edged with a gutter. Complete breastplate and backplate with fastening hooks for the quilted vest.
Breastplate edged with 30 brass domed-head nails and 2 flat-head brass nails (one under each shoulder pad). At the base of the breastplate in its center, a hook is fixed to secure the belt. At the top, on the left shoulder, a brass clip is attached to secure the cartridge pouch strap. On the right side, at the top of the breastplate, the second nail holds a small hook for attaching aiguillettes.
Backplate edged with 32 brass hemispherical head nails, and 3 nails to attach each shoulder pad. Each shoulder pad is leather covered with 7 steel plates with edges cut into three scallops and adorned with 11 brass nails. Each pad is finished with a rectangular buttonhole plate in brass decorated with oak leaves and a flower. Each shoulder pad is connected to the backplate by a hinge with a steel tab fixed with 5 brass nails and decorated in the center with an embossed lion's head. This plate is attached to the leather by 4 hemispherical head brass buttons. Width of each shoulder pad 5.4 cm. H of the buttonhole plate 13 cm. White strong buffalo leather belt with brass buckle, width 2.7 cm, fixed to the backplate on each side with 2 brass nails. Typical of the Pastillat supplier's manufacturing.
Very good condition, normal oxidation, the old belt may have been replaced.

QUILTED VEST OF BREASTPLATE in two parts, one attaching to the breastplate and the other to the backplate. Made of heavy ecru canvas with scarlet cloth trim piped in gold and a golden braid sewn over the outer edge. Both parts are numbered "52." Around the perimeter of each element, ochre leather straps are sewn and receive the 25 black lacquered steel fastening hooks of the breastplate.
Good condition.

AIGUILLETTES belonging to Célestin Eugène SAGOT, in mixed gold and scarlet trimmings, ended with two gold-plated brass ferrets embossed in relief with crowned "N." Sky blue cloth shoulder loop, numbered "418/1."
Very good condition, sun-faded shoulder loop.

PAIR OF EPAULETTES belonging to Jean-Francois FRENET, in gold trimmings with an upper section of scarlet silk stripe, flexible metallic fringes mixed gold and scarlet. Uniform button in gold-plated brass stamped with the grenade, Ø 1.7 cm. Sky blue cloth lining. One of the epaulettes numbered "465/1."
Fair condition, trimmings with normal oxidation, worn lining, one mismatched epaulette.

France.
Second Empire.

BIOGRAPHIES:
— Matricule 465 Jean-Francois FRENET. 1.83 m. Enlisted on October 24, 1868, from the regiment of the Guard Carabiniers.
Deployed in the Paris army in 1870. Transferred to the 1st squadron of the 2nd cuirassiers march regiment on September 16, 1870.
— Matricule 418 Célestin Eugène SAGOT. 1.86 m. Enlisted on January 20, 1866, from the Guard cuirassiers.
In 1870, in the Rhine army with the imperial escort. Wounded on September 1st in the battle of Sedan during the retreat across the bridge over the Meuse by shrapnel on the right arm. Became a prisoner of war on September 3rd.