Catalogue
Royal Engineer's officer's bicorn hat, black 'beaver' with black pleated cockade with woven silk band through centre and button for Royal Engineer's (QVC), gold bullion coils at each end and patterned black silk band on one side at each end, leather sweatband with narrow magneta silk band above, the inside is lined with quilted magneta silk, on the leather liner is printed in ink three letters obliterated, another three at side, 'JHT' (on old sales tag is recorded John Henry Thompson) and below, 'S.A'., together with a metal bicorn hat container. The container with rusting, the hat with some loss of fur at edges and cut at one end, otherwise very good.
Estimate $200
SOLD $220
British officer's forage cap, c1890s, dark blue felt top and body, top with woven pattern and with centre woven thread button, bullion Queen Victoria crown at front, dark green wine vine patterned band, leather brim with rope-like cord decoration, front and back, leather sweatband and red patterned cloth lining gold blocked with maker's name, 'Pearson, Huggins & Co Ltd/Contractors/London & Bristol'. Some areas of light thinning on felt, loss of colour in top decoration, otherwise very fine.
Estimate $200
SOLD $480
Army Glengarry cap, with red pompom in centre, black wool with leather band, all colour missing from this, inside oilskin lined and stamped on the band is the maker's name (illegible), broad arrow symbol between W & D (War Department), size 9, 1890 and at the edge 22. Mothed areas, otherwise fine.
Estimate $50
SOLD $100
British Army Warrant Officer Class 1 pith helmet, post 1900, spike at top of helmet, bullion and felt WO1 Badge (KC) with braid below on brim and at back, inside hooks for chinstrap, no chinstrap, leather sweatband with maker's name, 'Harman & Co, Calcutta'. Securing nut missing from top spike, helmet age toned and dirty, a few loose bullion threads, one light moth affected section, a few repair stitches, otherwise fine.
Estimate $100
SOLD $340
Army pith helmet, c1940s, Wolseley pattern with ventilation dome at top, leather sweatband with chinstrap fitted, cloth internal lining. Age surface cracking to underside of brim, foxing spots on ventilation dome, otherwise very fine.
Estimate $50
SOLD $50
Wolseley pattern white helmet, c1940s, with 6-pleated puggaree and this topped with thin black band, leather sweatband marked for, Hobson & Sons (London) Ltd', silk liner attached to this and helmet with material lining, leather chinstrap (appears to be unused and possibly a replacement) attached to inside hooks, together with large japanned storage tin, with maker's plaque, 'Hobson & Sons/Military Outfitters/1.3&5/Lexington Street/Golden Square/London/W', plaque ensigned with King's crown. Helmet with foxing, otherwise in excellent condition, tin also in better condition than usual, overall very fine.
Estimate $150
SOLD $120
France, First Empire, Napoleonic Cuirassier helmet, c1812, an old museum quality reproduction, steel body with replaced front peak and rear neck guard, old brass classical inspired comb with the remains of the black horsehair tails, the body and comb are likely original examples from a later period either the second or third empires, the peak made flat and broader to give the appearance of a Napoleonic example, a black horsehair marmouset sits atop the comb, now loose fitting, turban band devoid of any cloth or animal skin covering, painted in gloss black, reproduction brass chin scales of an incorrect pattern, incorrect red horsehair side plume, old original leather liner likely dating from the second or third empire with extensive age wear and damage, the comb with some dents, age tone and solder repairs. Very fine.
Estimate $400
SOLD $250
France, late 19th century all brass firemans helmet, similar to the military cuirassier helmet however all in brass, polished brass body with large classical style decorated comb, leather backed brass chin scales secured by large side rosettes, one side rosette replaced with a non-matching anodized example, some damage to the brass chin scales, ornate embossed brass helmet plate bearing a flaming bomb, crossed axes surrounded by laurel leaves, original leather liner, toned, overall light dents and wear to the brass body, liner with heavy wear and some damage. Very fine.
Estimate $400
Passed in
French officer's cap, 1890, black leather top and bottom edge, main body in black cotton with woven silk band near top, small leather and silk brim at front with short rope-like cord above, no badge, no chinstrap, leather sweatband and dark red silk lining, maker's name blocked onto silk lining but indistinguishable due to wear, short leather band attached to underside of cap is impressed with size, '56 �'. Bottom edge damaged, brim separated from edge band at one side and signs of previous repair, good.
Estimate $70
SOLD $80
Germany, Prussian Hussar enlisted mens ersatz 'Pelzmutze' busby for Hussar Regiment Nr 8, c1917, a rare issued example made entirely of ersatz field grey rabbit felt, displaying a copper-brass toned wappen scroll 'Mit Gott Fur Konig und Vaterland' (With God for King and Fatherland), original ersatz leather chinstrap, top of the busby with an original light-blue ersatz wool kolpak, devoid of any cap lines, single national cockade to the right side of the chinstrap, (a single Reich's cockade for post 1897 busbies is correct, so the lack of a Prussian cockade is not uncommon), refurbished state top cockade, interior with an ersatz leather liner dated 1917. Overall some light wear to the leather edging and liner, extremely fine and rare.
Estimate $1,000
SOLD $1,800
Germany, WWI, Army, Infantry, Artillery, assorted Pickelhaube fittings, including fluted spikes, spike necks, cruciform spike bases, cockades, side post, contains some modern reproductions. Fine - very fine. (76)
Estimate $200
SOLD $380
Japan, Type 90 WWII Army combat helmet with string webbing, Japanese text scratched on inside edge on both sides, no star badge on front. The webbing damaged and the internal leather liner loose and also in poor condition, otherwise fine.
Estimate $150
SOLD $350
Portugal, WWI, Army steel helmet, a rare example of the pattern introduced in 1916 and fielded in the western front by Portuguese soldiers, styled on British private purchase helmets introduced just prior to 1916, with nearly all its original khaki painted finish, with original basic liner, wool material lining, leather sweatband held in place by threaded cord through holes near the flare of the bowl, original leather chinstrap. Some service and age wear to chinstrap, overall extremely fine and rare.
Estimate $300
SOLD $400
Vintage helmet plume of red and white feathers, (approx 18cm high), in japanned storage tin (approx 25.5cm high), securing latches at both ends, with small brass plate on side, 'Ranken & Co/Calcutta', attached at one side is a large label from M.B. & Co. Ltd., Covent Garden, and penned on the label, 'Color/Plume/Centre screw(?)'. Plume good very fine, tin with loss of colour and a few dents, good.
Estimate $100
SOLD $100
Vintage helmet plume of red and white feathers, (approx 21.5cm high), in japanned storage tin (approx 25.5cm high), securing latches at both ends. Plume good very fine, tin with loss of colour, dents and hinge broken on lid at one end, good.
Estimate $80
SOLD $80
Vintage helmet plume of red and white feathers, (approx 16cm high), in japanned storage tin (approx 18cm high), securing latches at both ends. Plume's white feathers toned otherwise very fine, tin with loss of colour and one dent, fine.
Estimate $70
SOLD $80
Vintage helmet plume of red and white feathers, (approx 18cm high), in japanned storage tin (approx 20cm high), type without securing latches at both ends. Plume very fine, tin with some small loss of colour and one dent on lid, good fine.
Estimate $70
SOLD $70
Vintage helmet plume of red and white feathers, (approx 15cm high), in cardboard storage container (approx 17cm high) which opens at both ends, on top lid are remains of instructions for storage to the effect that the plume is inserted base first at top end and removed similarly base first from bottom end. One feather loose, otherwise very fine, case with loss of colour and dents, good.
Estimate $50
SOLD $60
New South Wales Volunteer Artillery, 1860-1873, busby plume holder in white metal (84mm) (Grebert p129). Extremely fine.
Estimate $100
SOLD $180
White pith helmet, with top spike and rosettes, chinstrap rosettes and ceremonial helmet plate for Metropolitan Police Chief Superintendent, 1911-35, metal with velvet backed chinstrap, black leather sweatband, marked with old Australian type arms and maker, 'J.A.Cooper'. Moth holes to the cloth lining under the brim, material loss at edge of brim, a few white paint marks under brim, helmet with some loss of paint and dirty marks, otherwise fine, helmet plate good very fine.
Estimate $150
SOLD $650
Victoria Police Senior Commissioned Officer's helmet, post 1901, with Victorian Constabulary helmet plate (type with leg of R removed from VR which was done after Queen Victoria died in 1901 so the badge indicated Victoria Police and could continue to be worn), spike at top and lion's head chinstrap holders, missing chinstrap, leather sweatband, this marked in ink, 'HH'. Victorian Constabulary and leaf areas around this worn on helmet plate and some small sections of silvering worn, a few minor stitching repairs to headband, otherwise very fine.
Estimate $500
SOLD $1,700
British Victorian era kepi, c1900s, light brown body with centre woven thread button on top, light green trim around top edge and light green headband, Victorian Police commissioned officer's bullion badge (1890-1901) on light green background at front, leather brim with bullion decoration, leather sweatband and patterned material lining. A few defects on brim and edge colour worn from underside, otherwise very fine.
Estimate $150
SOLD $500
Victoria Police helmet, 1920-47, black leather with metal ventilation dome at top, with white metal number, 251, affixed on front, plain metal ball points at side for attaching chinstrap, this missing, leather sweatband with loose cloth above, on the underside of the helmet body is the maker's label, 'A.W.Sudweeks/Manufacturer/Ballarat'. Very fine.
Estimate $750
SOLD $600
M(elbourne) F(ire) B(rigade) helmet, pre 1900, in grey-silvered brass, with metal maker's plaque, 'Merryweather & Sons, Firemens Outfitters, London', dragon decorated comb, at left and right sides of MFB are crossed hose and axe, with side rosettes for chinstrap, this missing, leather sweatband. Comb needs adjusting at front, several small dents, sweatband well worn, otherwise fine and scarce.
Estimate $350
SOLD $900
N(ew) S(outh) W(ales) F(ire) B(rigade) helmet, c1940s, in brass, with metal maker's plaque, 'Rider & Bell Pty Ltd, makers, size 7 5/8', back lower lip of brim with impressed number 3754, dragon decorated comb, at left and right of NSWFB are crossed hoses, with side rosette to hold brass and leather backed chinstrap, leather sweatband. Needs polishing, a few dents especially on comb, otherwise very fine.
Estimate $150
SOLD $440
Helmet display stands, head-shaped solid wood blocks with removable column and circular base. Very fine. (4)
Estimate $130
SOLD $100
Helmet display stands, head-shaped solid wood blocks with removable column and circular base. Very fine. (3)
Estimate $100
SOLD $100
Helmet display stands, head-shaped solid wood blocks with removable column and circular base. Very fine. (3)
Estimate $100
SOLD $100
8th (Union Volunteer) NSW Infantry Regiment (Irish Rifles), 1899-1903, belt buckle in brass with blackened background (Grebert p50). Fine.
Estimate $120
SOLD $1,300
NSW Military Forces, pre federation, other ranks belt buckle in brass (Grebert p95); Queensland Military Forces, post 1881, belt buckle in brass (British General Service Pattern) (see Grebert p101 for type), reverse marked QG at top and 78 at bottom of host section and QG on tongue insert. Fine; good very fine. (2)
Estimate $120
SOLD $120