Scarce Victorian Royal Artillery Volunteers Officers Home Service Helmet.

A superb and scarce home service, blue cloth helmet, worn by a high ranking officer of the Volunteer Artillery. Dating from around 1881 to 1890 this helmet has a makers label for Gardener & Co. Argyle Street, Glasgow. To it may have been connected to one of the Scottish Artillery Volunteer regiments.
It is typically made of a cork shell covered with a dark blue woollen cloth, all if the fittings are in white metal, including the chinstrap chain, this is also backed in velvet. The original helmet plate bears Queen Victoria’s crown and the lower strap below the gun, has ‘Artillery Volunteers’ highlighted and backed with red wool fabric.
As mentioned all of the fittings are all-original to the helmet and come in white metal, this helmet is pretty much untouched so some of the fittings are quite heavily toned. These will clean up a treat and look fabulous, if you want to bring it back to parade level. On the inside of the helmet, it retains its original red silk lining, although a little faded, with a deep leather sweatband. All of this is in very good order too. The only damage I can find on this beautiful helmet is a small patch of wear on the right side of the helmet, just behind one of the side bosses. (Please see pictures)
This helmet comes in its original tin for safekeeping and I would say this helmet is around 6&7/8ths in size. A scarce piece of Victorian headgear which my pictures really do not do justice.
Shipping via courier priced at £10.95

Code: 25522