Here are photographs of a shako that my father bought in an antique shop in France in the late 1970's. According to the seller, it is supposed to be a Napolionic era shako. We appreciate, however, that it could be almost anything (theatrical piece, Romanian constable, who knows?) and we've never been able to definatively identify the piece. I found illustrations of French infantry and cavalry troops wearing somewhat similar shakos in the 1850's and 1860's. I also found one illustration of German troops wearing something similar in the same period.
The oil cloth is clearly old and shows honest aging. The core is made of cardboard which may be period, or may be a relatively modern replacement of the original core. (Was cardboard used in the mid-19th century?) Holes on the sides of the shako indicate that it once had a chin strap. I can't decipher the writing inside the helmet. German Landwehr has been suggested, but I haven't been able to find examples that resemble this piece.
Any ideas?
The oil cloth is clearly old and shows honest aging. The core is made of cardboard which may be period, or may be a relatively modern replacement of the original core. (Was cardboard used in the mid-19th century?) Holes on the sides of the shako indicate that it once had a chin strap. I can't decipher the writing inside the helmet. German Landwehr has been suggested, but I haven't been able to find examples that resemble this piece.
Any ideas?
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