ENGLISH 1ST SURREY RIFLES VICTORIAN OFFICERS BLUE CLOTH HELMET.

A circa 1860 magnificent condition all pressed felt helmet, which was totally unique to this regiment. First design produced and worn in the early 1860’s, which was 20 years before the introduction of the classic English Home Service helmet. This all pressed felt helmet resembles the subsequent 1st pattern Home Service helmet incredibly closely and we wonder whether the design of the Home Service helmet was taken in part from this early 1860’s piece. The skull is of one-piece black fur felt with very pronounced front and rear peaks with the spike being in fluted form with a cruciform cross base, secured to the helmet skull by four rosettes. The front plate is in beautiful deep mercury gilt with frosted highlights has a Victorian crown, oak leaf surround with 1st Surrey Rifles circlet with a bugle horn to the centre, complete with ‘1’ in white metal to the centre of the bugle horn. The helmet is fitted with its lion’s faced rosette chin chain attachments to each lower side, across the upper part of the peak is a roped ring style gilded trim and the helmet is complete with its original inter-linked chin chain with leather backing. The stitching of the leather to the chin chain is slightly loose and it is also complete with its extra links for the hanging of the chain to the reverse of the helmet when the chin chain is not in use. There are two decorative small rosettes either side of the skull, also one at the reverse as a fixture for the chin chain. The whole of the body is leather edged both to the sides, front and back peaks. The interior lining is of high officers quality being in maroon silk, which is multi stitched and thankfully the silk has not shot. The interior of the front and back peaks is lined in green Morocco leather. The interior skull in raw felt. Adhered to the interior is a ‘W.Smith & Son, Makers, 3 Leicester Place, Leicester Square, WC’. Behind the front plate an area of the felt has been cut out presumably to allow for air flow through the helmet and the rear of the helmet below the rosette that has the attachment hook with the chain there is a small octagonal hole specifically punched in this shape, also for air flow to the rear of the helmet. We have been fortunate to be able to find two pages of the Illustrated London News dated 1861 showing four officers of the 1st Surrey Rifles, three of them wearing this identical helmet with their scarlet parade blues with the accompanying text clearly describing this felt helmet. The attachment screw to the interior of one of the cruciform rosettes is missing otherwise the helmet is in magnificent visual and technical condition. We have specialised in English headdress for over 40 years and this must rank amongst one of the rarest helmets we have ever had. Also its connection to the subsequent Home Service helmet is historically important in the lineage of this type of helmet.

Code: 80638