militaria
This field covers uniforms, headdress and badges from the 18th century through to Third Reich items from the 20th century. Much of this material can be seen in context in contemporary prints/drawings and other art work, eg bronzes and photographs. I keep a very sharp eye out for, and a photographic record of, all the particularly convincing Third Reich fakes that come my way. Good reference books include: The Emperor's Coat by Rest, Ortner & Ilming (Verlag Militaria) on Austro-Hungarian militaria, Great War period; Shoulder-belt plates and buttons by Parkyn on British militaria; two volumes by King on British military headdress badges. The National Army Museum (Royal Hospital Road, London SW3) has an excellent bookshop and display covering the British side of this great subject.
Here is a selection of militaria from this category: | [ Show all ] |
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Mughal breast plate - Indian
This is the centre plate (approx 12 x 8"), protecting the breast, of a four-plate steel armour, constructed from crucible steel, certainly sword and arrow proof. The floral centre motif is a mid-17th century design of Mogul origin. This would have been worn with a pair of arm guards (Bazu band), a mail shirt and a steel helmet with mail aventail.
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Officer's shako plate - Peruvian
This would have been worn on one of the early Peruvian shakos in the late 1820s to commemorate the surrender of the Spaniards and the liberation of Peru in 1824 and the founding of the independent state of Peru in the following year. It probably represents the third infantry regiment.
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Foot Guards gorget, 1801 pattern - British
Regarding the regiment, the Grenadiers had a very specific gorget with multiple pierce work on both wings, the Scots Guards normally had '3rd Guards' engraved on both sides at the tips, therefore, by elimination, this is almost certainly a Coldstream Guards example. The Dighton watercolours of the period appear to confirm this.
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Pair 7 x 50 prismatic binoculars - German
This particularly fine pair was made by Busch of Rathenow (East Prussia). The case is made by Hensoldt of Wetzlar and is marked with the Weimar Army acceptance eagle. The lenses are almost as they left the factory and the resulting vision extremely sharp. There is a 1944 date on the steel snap of the case, together with a code 'crn'.
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Oldenburg infantry helmet plate - German
This was worn by the 91st Line Regiment after its absorption in 1868 into the Prussian infantry, formerly having been the Duke of Oldenburg's infantry regiment. This was a two-battalion unit and the only infantry that Oldenburg possessed. This plate was worn right up until 1918, also in a pressed tin format.
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