Hello and Happy New Year! I was wondering if anyone could help me wiht this piece...the item description and case indicates that the owner served in Bombay which seems incorrect for Household Cavalry. Any thoughts? I reproduced the description below. THANKS!
Elaborate silver-plated "Albert Pattern" full dress helmet, with a short-pointed front visor, and a long-sloped visor at the rear. The helmet bear fire-gilt brass decorations throughout: At front is an oval badge surrounded by a wreath of laurel and oak leaves, surmounted by a crown and with a white metal sunburst at center. At the center of this is an oval Order of the Garter badge. The crown is capped with a brass plate in the form of a sunburst, with a white metal spike at center, topped with a drooping red-dyed horsehair plume, which can be removed for combat or storage. The leather chin strap is covered by gilt brass rings, and is secured to the helmet by a large threaded gilt brass rosette at each side. The interior is fitted with a brown leather eight-fingered liner, with a brass-buckled leather strap across the dome allowing adjustment to the fit. The helmet is housed in a tin case with a domed lid, painted black with a red mottled design, and is fitted with a carrying handle. A painted inscription on the lid reads: "Lieut. J.C. Hastings. R.A.M.C.", indicating that the owner was a lieutenant in the Royal Army Medical Corps. The case further bears seven paper labels, most badly faded or flaking. One again bears Hastings' name and rank, hand-inscribed in black ink, while two are shipping labels from Geo. W. Wheatley & Co., a shipping company headquartered on Regent Street in London. A third label simply reads "Bombay", most likely the destination to which the helmet was to be shipped, and the location to which Hastings was posted. The helmet shows minor dents, including to the Garter badge at front, and the liner bears some tears and flaking, else very good. The "Albert Pattern" helmet was adopted in 1842 for use by various British Heavy Cavalry units, including the Household Cavalry, the official bodyguards of the reigning regent. The R.A.M.C. was established in 1898, and it is likely that the helmet dates between that time and the beginning of World War I.
Elaborate silver-plated "Albert Pattern" full dress helmet, with a short-pointed front visor, and a long-sloped visor at the rear. The helmet bear fire-gilt brass decorations throughout: At front is an oval badge surrounded by a wreath of laurel and oak leaves, surmounted by a crown and with a white metal sunburst at center. At the center of this is an oval Order of the Garter badge. The crown is capped with a brass plate in the form of a sunburst, with a white metal spike at center, topped with a drooping red-dyed horsehair plume, which can be removed for combat or storage. The leather chin strap is covered by gilt brass rings, and is secured to the helmet by a large threaded gilt brass rosette at each side. The interior is fitted with a brown leather eight-fingered liner, with a brass-buckled leather strap across the dome allowing adjustment to the fit. The helmet is housed in a tin case with a domed lid, painted black with a red mottled design, and is fitted with a carrying handle. A painted inscription on the lid reads: "Lieut. J.C. Hastings. R.A.M.C.", indicating that the owner was a lieutenant in the Royal Army Medical Corps. The case further bears seven paper labels, most badly faded or flaking. One again bears Hastings' name and rank, hand-inscribed in black ink, while two are shipping labels from Geo. W. Wheatley & Co., a shipping company headquartered on Regent Street in London. A third label simply reads "Bombay", most likely the destination to which the helmet was to be shipped, and the location to which Hastings was posted. The helmet shows minor dents, including to the Garter badge at front, and the liner bears some tears and flaking, else very good. The "Albert Pattern" helmet was adopted in 1842 for use by various British Heavy Cavalry units, including the Household Cavalry, the official bodyguards of the reigning regent. The R.A.M.C. was established in 1898, and it is likely that the helmet dates between that time and the beginning of World War I.
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