'Belgic' Shako

[mel secker]

Andrew or anyone else,
Have you experience of making pre-1806 lacquered regimental caps? I need one in a hurry for a shoot.

what is your spec ? when do you need it ?
Mel.

[John Waller]

Andrew or anyone else,
Have you experience of making pre-1806 lacquered regimental caps? I need one in a hurry for a shoot.

I've not seen one of his but John Anastasio mentions the 1806 cap on his website http://www.napoleonic-uniforms.co.uk/Headwear.html

[Neibelungen]

The 1806 pattern was when they switched from the laquered leather to the blocked felt.

The 1801 was all leather and heavily laquered.

You see a few intermediates with a combination of both styles, though these are mostly militia and hard to date precisely accept for where they are known to have been disbanded. However the militia do everything funny and so often there's no provenence to them which can make them just as suspect.

Big give away on most hats is looking at the hatband attachment. Post 1830's they tend to have a binder round the brim and attach the sweatband to that. Previous it's much more comon to have the hatband contigious to the brim binding. Not always a hard and fast rule, but it's a good indication.

[John Waller]

Opps. I missed the 'pre'-1806. My bad (as my daughter would say).

[wurzul]

Thanks for the thoughts guys. Andrew, I'm curious as to your insistence on lacquered leather rather than lacquered felt- I have been having this discussion with someone else as well. The 1799-1802 regs and papers I've seen mainly refer to felt, or spec felt and leather without indicating what components this refers to- but if the body, as well as the peak, was leather, where does the felt come into it?
EDIT: Just saw your post on lacquering felt above, which I somehow missed before. Great gen thanks, I'll press on with it.
PS: Any more thoughts on the 11mm silvered ball buttons?
Mel- Thanks for the offer, Have sourced a felt, so I'm going to attempt the lacquering process myself.

[John Waller]

Anyone know the size of the brass numbers on the surviving 33rd regt light company belgic shako? I'm assuming it's in the regimental museum. None of the books I have show it full-frontal enough to be able to estimate the size accurately.

[Neibelungen]

Buy one of the repro ones off ebay.

Or just measure them off an image.
Every one i've seen varies depending on the maker.

[John Waller]

Buy one of the repro ones off ebay.

Or just measure them off an image.
Every one i've seen varies depending on the maker.

Andrew,
I mean the seperate cut brass numbers under the bugle badge that the light company had. Not seen the light coy 33 numbers on ebay but I'm aware that you can get centre/grenadier company plates. I don't have a decent image to work from hence the question. I'm thinking around 2" in height but wanted to check as a guide for a project I'm working on. Just acquired some very nice bugle badges now need some brass numbers to go with them.

John

[Neibelungen]

My mistake.

I missed the light company reference in your post.

[wurzul]

John, Have you contacted the 33rd? They have a member who works in the museum.

[Havercake Lad]

Re Bankfield Museum. Actually we have two members who work there.

[John Waller]

John, Have you contacted the 33rd? They have a member who works in the museum.

Sorted now. Craig from the 33rd has sent me pictures and measurements.

If anyone would like to contribute I'm starting up a database of details of surviving British caps. As much or as little information as you have welcome. The information will be available to all and hopefully others will be able to add to it and fill in gaps. So I'm looking for name, style, date, materials, dimensions, details of trimmings, linings, badges, present location, photos and anything else useful.

Cheers

John

[John Waller]

Wonder if anyone can clarify something for me? How was the leather cockade fixed to the side of a rank & file cap? I've not had a chance to closely examine a rankers cap. I'm guessing they were sewn to the cap as were the fabric cockades on the officers caps I looked at? Seeds of doubt have been sown by looking at some Fosten illustrations showing cap cords with the cockades on their ends. Might just be an artistic thing but I thought I'd ask if anyone knows.

Also can anyone suggest a source of 1.25" approx brass arabic number 2s. Need a few for some light coy caps. I can find .75" & 2" but want something in the middle. Several secondary sources refer to the regt cap numbers as being from cut brass so I may get my snips and files out if I can't find any.

Cheers

John

[Guardsman Masters]

hello iam with the coldstream guards napoleonic unit in the states and i was wondering were did you the the materials to make the shako kit and or would you be able to make some kits for us.

cheers

[John Waller]

hello iam with the coldstream guards napoleonic unit in the states and i was wondering were did you the the materials to make the shako kit and or would you be able to make some kits for us.

cheers

You should be able to source wool felt hoods in the USA. You will need two per cap. One to block over a cylindrical former for the body of the cap and one to cut open and iron flat to provide a sheet of felt to make the false front.

If you use fur felt hoods for senior NCOs and Officer's caps you should be able to get two front pieces from one hood. So you would need three hoods for two caps. I can only get one out of a wool felt hood.

If you can't find a source in the USA then I get mine from Baxter, Hart & Abraham Ltd in Luton http://www.baxterhart.co.uk/

If you need any help or tips do ask. If I don't know there are others here who will help I'm sure.

Thanks for reminding me that I have a couple to finish off