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A good example of the French 1919 pattern of officer Kepi with insignia to front that would denote his attachment to an infantry staff. The hungarian knot to the top of the Kepi is typically ornate & of the distinct elongated pattern used on the 1919 model & differing from the smaller rounded knot of the pre WW1 patterns. With flaming grenade infantry chinstrap buttons to each side the three rank braids denote that of Captain. Interior shows typical quality construction not dissimilar to those seen made in the WW1 period. There is a silk tightening tie worked into the liner band with the officers initials 'J.C' champagne embossed into the underside of the peak. In very good condition with only some light wear overall.
Code: 9561
125.00 GBP
One pair of the German cold weather wristlets in grey wool typical of the period & the same as that used for the headover in wartime manufacture. ***Price is for one pair only***
Code: 9564
45.00 GBP
A very good French kepi for a Lieutenant of the Tirailleurs , the light infantry mostly made up of natives from the North African Colonies of France. This is a 1930s pattern kepi with sky blue cap band & scarlet top. The two gold braids denote the rank & hungarian knot is in the style of this period. Gold chinstrap has two gold buttons to sides . The interior is constructed of a quality red silk with leather sweatband & tightening ribbon to rear. The Saumur based maker of ' Mme Barbier Merigard ' is embossed to one side the officer most likely being a Frenchman from metropolitan France. Overall in very nice condition with no moth & some service wear .
Code: 9563
A historically fascinating Royal Flying Corps tunic named to Observer/Pilot Captain E.E Burney who served with 59 Squadron on the Western Front in 1916 & won the Military Cross serving with the Berkshire regiment in February 1915 prior to joining the RFC. This wonderful plastron fronted tunic is in the wrapover 'maternity' style so called for its resemblance to clothing worn by pregnant women. There is an 'Abbot & Co, Conduit St ' tailors label to the inside breast pocket giving the date '20/1/17' & his name written as ' Lt E.Burney R.F.C. ' . There is also a number ' 6699' which , as officers did not have service numbers in WW1 , would likely be the tailors reference for this man so as his measurements & details could be kept on file for future orders. The originally sewn embroidered on blue cloth RFC Flying badge is present to left breast & his Military Cross & 1914 Star medal ribbons mounted beneath. Each shoulder has three worsted rank pips for captain & there are bronze RFC officer collars. Upon close examination of the collars it is very clearly evident that these have never been off of the tunic with correlating wear indentation to the collar cloth underneath & also some oxidisation to the underside which has bled into the cloth. These are not seen on all RFC tunics it seemingly being down to the individual preference of the officer. There is plenty of period photographic evidence showing them with & without in wartime wear. The tunic is fastened by five concealed buttons to its right side with a double press stud arrangement to the top of the right shoulder. All of these fastenings are 100% original to the tunic. With a thick champagne lined lining showing heavy wear to the inside collar area there is a double hook & eye fastening to the stand & fall collar. In quite excellent condition there are one or two surface moth nips seen only upon close examination. I have carried out research on Burney hence the information here & will forward what I have in the form of his service record upon sale. In brief, Edmund Ernest Burney was born on 2/6/1890 & went to R.M.A Sandhurst from 1911-1912. He initially joined the 1st Royal Berkshires & disembarked to France on 13/8/1914 . He won the Military Cross on 20/2/1915 & was Mentioned In Despatches 22/6/15. Promoted to Lieutenant on 1/6/16 he transferred to the RFC in mid 1916 joining 59 Squadron on 29/9/16. No.59 Squadron was formed at Narborough Airfield in Norfolk on 1 August 1916 as a squadron of the Royal Flying Corps. On 13 February 1917, the Squadron crossed the English Channel, deploying to Saint-Omer in northern France to operate in the army co-operation role . There is alot of information on his service records still left to decipher however he is distinctly shown as an Artillery Observer /Pilot hence his RFC flying badge. Awards won were the Military Cross & the 1914 Star .
Code: 9544
On Hold
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Code: 9571
PriceonRequest
A magnificent French Dragoon helmet of the M1872/1874 pattern for other ranks. These were still being worn in August 1914 by the troops of the French Dragoons who were at that early war time time engaged in reconnaissance , guarding the flanks & covering the infantry as well as liason & escort. The Dragoon helmet is identical to that worn by the Cuiraissiers with the minor difference of no plume socket (marmouset) to the top of the crest. The skull , peak & neckguard are made from cast sheet steel which form a lobster tail to the rear with Medusas head to the front of the crest & thirteen palmettes seperated by water lillies. All of the fittings & the badge are of brass this including the chin scales which are adjusted by use of a partially concealed strap inner buckle system. The plume socket is set into the side of the helmet & retains its original often missing red plume which would not have been worn in the field. The front plate has a grenade set into two laurel branches this integrating with the bottom edge of the crest as the top grenade flame reaches upwards. To the crest is mounted black horsehair with a pleat which allowed it to be tied up so it did not flutter in the face of the cavalryman. There is a maker mark to the rear of the helmet for the firm 'SHF' a well known maker of these helmets . Interior of the helmet has survived in very good order with the undersides of each peak lined in card . The sheepskin liner tongues are all good with no damage to holes. A fabulous helmet which would take pride of place in any WW1 headgear collection.
Code: 9545
1200.00 GBP
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Code: 9570
A rare opportunity to own a fabulous piece of Great War trench armour this being the helmet brow plate or 'Stirnpanzer' as it was known then by its official title. Produced from 1916 onwards ( The same time as the M16 helmet ) it was designed as a form of armoured , frontal protection shield that could be fitted onto the front of the German steel helmet for wear by troops during trench fighting or in static positions etc. Due to its weight it was not a popular item of equipment . With a thickness of 5-6mm it was proposed that one in twenty helmets be fitted with them. This piece still has a very good proportion of its original green factory paint to both inside & out this being more evident to the inside . The maker mark of ' BE' & batch number of what appears to be ' 231' are stamped onto one inside corner. Having both of its original securing straps one is still attached & one not but still present. Made of black leather they were secured to each end with two double rivets as can still be seen here. The attached buckled side shows well the double rivet fixture to fix them to the plate & the detached adjustment side demonstrates the impractically large number of holes which is very typical of the strap for the brow plate. Although detached it is totally original & still has one of the rivets remaining to the leather. On examination of the brow plate itself the securing & vent lug holes have been roughly cut into each side with this being 'fettled' to remove any sharp edges afterwards. There is further evidence of fettling with grinding tools to smooth down the rough edges of the plate after casting. There are two small shrapnel ball strikes discernible when examined closely. Interesting to note also the distinct 'ring' of the plate when hung up and tapped. A rare iconic piece not often encountered in todays market.
Code: 9542
1795.00 GBP
A fabulous example of the rare M1895 ersatz pickelhaube in tin with Prussian front plate & its original chinstrap. These 'Ersatz' pickelhaubes were produced from 1914 to 1915 meet the huge demand in pickelhaubes needed to equip millions of soldiers. When this demand was met & the leather shortage problem resolved these Ersatz versions were withdrawn from frontline service & normal manufacture resumed . This has the distinctive ' Eisenblech Ersatz-Helme' features of a main body made from black lacquered tin plate & a spike base made all from one piece & having a non detachable spike that has been crimped into place on the helmet skull. The rear spine stops short of the spike base & has no sliding vent. Both the national & Prussian state cockade are present & original to the helmet. The clear manufacturer mark for the firm ' Heyden , Berlin ' & date '1915' can be seen to the underside of the front peak with size mark of '56'. Interior of the helmet has a brown felt covering to the skull with leather liner undamaged & with original leather drawcord to tongues. When one examines the condition of this beautiful piece it is quite clear that it is in its original form with correlating age around the edges of the metal front plate , rear spine & spike base indicating that they have always been together. The black lacquering to the metal body is quite excellent with an attractive lustre still remaining & only a few minor scuffs from light service wear. If one closely examines it there are one or two very small 'dinks' in the metal which are to be expected when the thin metal plate would offer no more protection than a leather version. The chinstrap is not a replacement but 100% original to the helmet with minor surface age & a total seperation of the leather on one side near to the chinstrap post ( Please see pictures ) . The helmet still displays well & considering its age of 104 years old & current rarity in the early war 'Ersatz' category it would have its place on the shelf in any advanced WW1 German headgear collection.
Code: 9543
A very nice WW1 M15 Artillery Adrian helmet coming complete with its original chinstrap. A helmet that for me exudes charactor with both sides of the front peak turned downwards by the soldier for a more 'old sweat' look. This was a practice known to have been carried out by NCOs with the dipped peak exerting an authority much in the same way as a 'slashed peak' on a British SD cap. The helmet has had two coats of blue paint in its service the latter being a thicker dark blue coat over its first factory issue. Both coats are of a mid to dark blue colour with the second pattern multi construction liner allowing us to conclude that this helmet was produced from 1916 onwards. Examination of the side skirt joining rivets & rear of the top comb ascertains the manufacturer to be 'Dupeyron' . To the underside of the rear peak is a name scratched into the paint which appears to be 'Lanedu' . The original chinstrap is present & has two rodent bites which I have photographed. It is always a bonus to get the chinstrap still with it in any condition. Nice sleepy Adrian straight out of the Great War .
Code: 9546
185.00 GBP
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