Helmet Of The French Mounted Republican Guard Model 1876, Made Circa 1885-1902, Cavalry

A beautiful helmet of the French Republican Mounted Guard. This is a rare early model adopted at the very beginning of the Third Republic in 1876 and manufactured 1885 and 1902.

The helmet skull, visor, and neck guard are made of steel.
The back of the helmet is stamped with the manufacturer’s mark “B; Franck & Fils Paris,” indicating early production between1885 and 1902, when the government awarded the contract to manufacture this helmet to Franck & Fils (then later to the Gendron company from 1903).

The brass headband is adorned with the coat of arms of the city of Paris.
The crest, also made of brass, features a "Medusa mask". Its sides are decorated with gadroons, palmettes, and water leaves. Finally, the helmet is topped by scarlet horsehair.

The helmet is complete with its chinstraps and features a beautiful mane of black horsehair.

Period liner made of black leather with the visor and neck guard covered in their original black leather lining.

All original parts and in very good overall condition. Normal wear on the liner. Minor dents on the right side of the helmet near the chin (see photo).

Sold with a tricolor feather plume circa 1912.
Total height of the helmet at the front (without the mane and plume): approximately 40 cm.
Length of the mane: approximately 80 cm