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    Holmes_9740

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    Everything posted by Holmes_9740

    1. Of Course! Thank you so much Peter. I tried every M except Montgomeryshire and the dragon facing the other way threw me as well. Lovely Sabretache by the way!
    2. Hello Gents, I am having a clear out and listing lot's of items at the usual place online. I have two sets of buttons that I can't identify and wonder if anyone can help. One is a Naval set which is similar to the Kriegsmarine buttons but have a wreath around the lower part. The design is similar to a Royal Navy Flag Officers Badge but without the Crown. The second set is Army and I should know what it is but my memory is failing me. Thank you Gents.
    3. I thought it might be of interest to others to give a bit more information about the processes employed in this restoration project. I will add at this point that I am experienced in antique restoration, mainly furniture, and have a strong archaeological interest in preservation so my approach is always on the cautious side. The images at the beginning of this thread show the Cuirasse in it's "as found" state and the previous post shows the comparison between the almost complete breast plate and the original back plate. The experience learned from the breast plate has greatly assisted and speeded up the process for the back plate. Firstly I used a wire wheel in an electric drill to remove the worst of the loose rust. Then I used 60 and 80 grit flap wheels, in the drill, to attack the harder rust. The use of a flexible shaft is a great help in controlling the work process. The result of that work is shown in this image, though the light gives it a shinier appearance that the rust brown finish that is actually there. The next process is back to hand work with 120 grit emery paper and lots of rubbing, then 180 grit emery paper. ( I would have used 240 but didn't have any to hand.) The more work you put in at this stage will help in the next stages. Then I focused my attention on the tricky, awkward bits around the edges, neck and arm holes. These are very difficult and there are no short cuts here other than a lot of use of the Dremel, which is a Godsent!. I used small 60 grit flap wheels, tiny wire wheels and nylon bristled wheels with grit coated bristles.; then lots of painful finger work to get in the difficult bits. That was a long day's work!, the result is shown in the next image.
    4. Greeting all. It was way back in February 2013 that I first started the journey of investigating this Cuirass; it has been a slow but interesting journey. After much thought, and research, I decided to start the restoration myself. After just over a week I am showing the current progress on the Breast plate along side the untouched back plate.; I actually felt quite pleased with the comparison. The Breast plate is finished but for a final polishing which will include the edge strips, as yet cleaned but not polished. The edge strips and fittings were found to be gold plated. The main problem was that not wanting to risk damaging the original liner all work has to be done dry. The work has been hours of painstaking work by hand, with abrasive paper, and a dremel type tool, taking extreme care at every stage.; once I had gained knowledge and confidence by taking the finish to 1200 grit, by hand, I employed small polishing wheels on a flexible drive to aid with the polishing of the main areas but all the edgings and folds and seams had to be done by hand with tiny bits of paper and lots of aching fingers. I now intend to get the back plate to the same condition before final polishing of both. The knowledge gained on the first piece means that the second will take a fraction of the time but there is still a lot of work to complete the restoration. The main problem was knowing how far to take it.; obviously one isn't going to get a clear mirror finish given the amount of pitting.; I feel it is about right at the moment but there is scope for further polishing if any one is brave enough! I think the shoulder straps will clean up without the need for repair as long, as the leather responds to the special treatment it is currently having; replacing the leather waist straps will be the most difficult part. I don't think I will try to repair the liner but I will assess that more later on. It is an interesting project of the type I enjoy. Wish me luck. Any comments or criticisms are welcome. :-)
    5. With thanks to the author of "The German Cavalry, 1871-1914", and to his book, this Cuirass is known to be a Line Officers Cuirass, probably dating from the 1814 to 1860 period and from one of the other Cuirassier Regiments already mentioned, ie. 3,4,5,7,or 8.
    6. Relpy to Trooper D: The book is a very well produced work and a must have for anyone with an interest in this period. I buy almost all my books through ABEbooks these days and I recommend others to do the same. It cost £100, is a new copy and came from a book seller in Colchester in two days. It still didn't fully identify my Cuirass, to my satisfaction, and I am now in contact with the Author directly to assist. Whilst browsing the book I was able to identify another item that I have, the identity of which had been eluding me for some time.; I have a piece of chain that I thought was a Helmet chin strap but i now know it to be a chain from a Gorget. Another collector told me many years ago that "it is a poor book that is not worth it's purchase price". I think this one has earned it's cost already, so thanks again to this forum member for the recommendation.
    7. well the book arrived and a very interesting and informative book it is. It still doesn't answer the identity question completely but I think we are looking at , as David Peace said, at Cuirassiers Regiments 3,4,5,7 & 8.; but there are some other variations within the other Regiments but I think we can rule out GdC. It's slightly surprising that there is still limited information available to identify such things but then the research is half the fun. I feel a bit more confident about attempting some gentle cleaning now.
    8. Just found good examples here http://www.militaria-online.de/preussen , scroll down below the Pickalhaubs. Time to get the brasso and the angle grinder out!
    9. I have decided to invest in this book The German Cavalry from 1871 to 1914, as mentioned by David Peace.; I'm sure it will be a good investment.
    10. There is some interesting discussion along with some good images on this forum. http://lagrandeguerre.cultureforum.net/t52250p15-les-kurasses-allemandes I might register to invite some extra comment.
    11. Trooper-D, thank you for finding these images, they are very useful comparisons. However, if yours has rusted, it cannot be made of brass, of course. Bonhams sold an other rank's steel cuirass for £562 on 27 Nov 2 013 but the straps on that example are rather simpler than yours, The second example is listed as Imperial German, Other Ranks, and is very similar in some details to mine particularly in the detail at the edges of the plates.; I think this set is made up from a Circa 1760 Breast plate, or earlier, as the proof shot was not done on the later Cuirass, also, the earlier armour was just a front plate, but that may have been at a much earlier period,; I am just putting snippets of information together as I find them. One consistent detail with the later Prussian Cuirass is the low position of the lugs on the front plate.
    12. There is quite a difference in the edge of the Bonhams example. Mine has a very pronounced, upstanding, rolled edge which would be better designed to take the red piping, if it were GdC. Also if the face finish was Black Japanned as opposed to lacquer then it could have been lost to time. I need to see under the brass strip!.
    13. This is an interesting point.. "The black paint inside the cuirass is normal, as is the black paint usually found inside cuirassier helmets.", I suspect that had it been originally Black Lacquered then there would be more obvious signs of that, as lacquer is very durable. So that would suggest polished steel as the original finish. As for the differences in the straps, again, I have seen examples with scales and chains listed as GdC..?? I'll keep looking; thank you for the help.
    14. Edited 10th Jan, I have answered the query below now.; learning rapidly! "This regiment wore a Tombac plated helmet and cuirass" Does this refer to the helmet and cuirass having mounts of Tombac?; mounted on steel presumably? It is frustrating when most online references are from drawings and sketches, although, I'm sure these are intended to be accurate in detail as they had no access to cameras. The variations are not only between regiments but of various times within the same regiments and, again within regiments, different armour for different occasions. Very confusing.
    15. Happy New Year to all our members. Many thanks to Trooper-D and David Peace for the latest input into this thread. The puzzle is still ongoing though I feel we are getting closer to an Identification. As Trooper-D pointed out the Bonhams example is indeed tantalisingly close to mine, the only difference being the colour. Hours spent researching on the internet has not turned up as much as I hoped but it has been more useful than the direct contact with "experts" of the main auction houses. I don't have access to the books so far mentioned as sources but will try to track them down. Of course, there is no substitute for actually handling other examples.
    16. Thank you for that input: the single stamp on each piece would make sense with a privately purchased item; some others that I have found have marks relating to Garde du Corps. The lion head strap fixing bolt head is a characteristic of the Russian gifted Cuirass to the Garde du Corps in 1814. Re-doing the paintwork would not be so difficult in itself but stripping the mounts and the padded lining would be a bit of a challenge. I am very sceptical about the big auction houses.; apart from the odd very special item the big houses offer poor returns in my opinion. Looking at the recent results of a major sword collection at Bonhams, apart from the few special items, most made less than you would get at the local car boot.
    17. Having spent more time scouring the internet for information than I have actually studying the object itself I failed to find the name of "HARTKOPF" stamped into the brass edging; would this be the same company as Hartkopf & Co. Solingen , anyone know?
    18. Does anyone have any experience of Cuirasse; particularly Garde du Corps? I am wondering if I should try a restoration of the black paintwork, as this seems simple to do. Wallis & Wallis suggested a value of £250 today?!!.....seems rather low to me!
    19. good evening Gents. Being a new contributor I hope I am in the correct area. I am trying to identify a Cuirasse acquired last year. It has several details which lead me to the cuirasse of the Garde du Corps but i can't find any to compare it with.; also, I have never handled a real cuirasse of any type. The nearest I can find is the Garde du Corps, Potsdam, Officers, Spring Parade Cuirasse, in use from 1814 to 1897; originally a gift from The Czar of Russia. The shoulder straps and scales are similar, complete with the Lion head fixing. The strap ends have Oak leaf decoration. Though having a good covering of light rust the inside edges show remnants of original black paint. I did wonder if they were real or a prop of some kind but the inside padding material looks to be in the condition I would expect for something of this age. Now to try uploading an image!!.http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2013/post-15078-0-54620900-1359756292.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2013/post-15078-0-93318800-1359756299.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2013/post-15078-0-08738400-1359756594.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2013/post-15078-0-05621100-1359756599.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_02_2013/post-15078-0-75967300-1359756703.jpg
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