Brian

Hi Jeff Guess I have been away from the forum for a long period, but you are quite correct that I did sell the Regency badge at Bosleys and I explained that the London museum had steered me down the lane that this was indeed one of the Guards badges with reverse colours. Bosleys attributed it to a Regency Staff Officer but I don't think they were 100% sure. Brian

This, to say the least, is a very unusual helmet. I have not see a blue cloth helmet of its shape or design in any of the British Army regiments. It has a number of unusual features including a forward pitched dome, flat front peak and sloping rear. It has brass straps from the central plume holder to front, back and sides. The front sports a Royal Artillery plate with a Victorian crown and the side chain holder with a grenade. I have been onto the Artillery museum and they can only think it must have been a rejected design submitted for approval. Any suggestions?

Hi Mervyn, Thanks for your posting. You had me a little worried at the beginning when you said it looked a pewter colour..... Immediately thought is it a fake? I then took the plate apart and found that it is a silver ( just tarnished a little ), so I buffed it up a little and it looks great. Mind you I don't know if I should be doing that ! I have checked in in Kiplings book on headress badges, but stangely no meantion is made of the 1st foot. It starts with the 2nd foot. I then looked at my copy of the British Military Shako1800-97 by Bryan Fosten and found the plate on page 26. It was only issued between 1822-29. So I guess that the crown could not be William 4th. Thanks for your comments Brian

Collar insignia for officers first appeared in 1855 on tunics that replaced the coatees worn previously. The army used a combination of crowns and stars in silver wire work together with collar lace trim to denote rank. I have enclosed photos of the first single breasted tunic ( after the withdrawal of the coatee ) in 1865. This is ranked as a Captain with a single gold lace band to the collar and one star and castle. The same combination of one star and castle with two collar laces one at the top and one at the bottom of the collar denoted a Colonel.

This is rather an unusual 1st foot or Grenadier officers shako plate of c1822 in as much as the colours are reversed. Normal colour pattern would be that the a gold coat of arms mounted on a silver 8 pointed star. Apparently this reversal of colours has occured a few times and there is also one with reversed colours in the Grenadier museum which belonged to the Duke of Wellington. Rather a pity someone decided to change it into a pinned brooch cutting the original posts to the rear.