French Pompiers 1893 Model "casassa" Breathing Helmet

French Pompiers (fire service) 1893 Model "Casassa" breathing helmet. A very complete example that is accompanied with stirrup pump and manual. The actual helmet is made from brass with two circular, glass eyepieces to the front. A brass split air tube comes from the back of the helmet and is fed towards the ears inside the helmet. The crest of the helmet has its own small valve system which is used by pulling the flaming grenade button. Interior retains its original leather liner and neck guard/chinstrap, very often missing. Accompanied by its stirrup air pump which has a brass body, aluminium pedal and wooden handle to operate the plunger. The 'Manual Sapuer-Pompier' has a publishing date of 1896 and shows the use of the "Casassa" helmet among other equipment. It is very rare to find anyone of these pieces, a nice assemble.

Note -

Hose-based device, the first of its kind, developed by Lieutenant Morio and the Maison Casassa & Cie for the firefighters of the City of Paris. This breathing helmet works on the hookah system (air supply by a pump located outside and a hose connected to the mask), it appears to be the first reliable means of respiratory protection, to replace the Paulin blouse. It was used by rescue teams during the Courrières disaster in 1906, which killed 1099 people.