Northamptonshire Yeomanry Tarleton Helmet c.1800 Northamptonshire Yeomanry Tarleton Helmet c.1800 Northamptonshire Yeomanry Tarleton Helmet c.1800 Northamptonshire Yeomanry Tarleton Helmet c.1800 Northamptonshire Yeomanry Tarleton Helmet c.1800 Northamptonshire Yeomanry Tarleton Helmet c.1800 Northamptonshire Yeomanry Tarleton Helmet c.1800 Northamptonshire Yeomanry Tarleton Helmet c.1800 Northamptonshire Yeomanry Tarleton Helmet c.1800 Northamptonshire Yeomanry Tarleton Helmet c.1800

Northamptonshire Yeomanry Tarleton Helmet c.1800

Offered here is a rare Napoleonic era headgear of the British Army. Colonel Tarleton, who served in the American Revolution, designed this headdress for his Light Dragoons and by the end of the 18th century it was adopted across the British Army for both Regular and Militia Cavalry and the Royal Horse Artillery. It was worn in the Egypt Campaign and the Peninsular War by Dragoons and the Guns. Eventually it was replaced in the regular army by the Bell Top Shako in 1812. The Militia retained the headdress well into the 1820s. In Canada, the few Militia Cavalry units formed in 1812 were issued this headgear and when more units were formed after the war they too received British Arsenal hand-me-downs until replaced in the late 1830s.

The Northamptonshire Yeomanry were raised in England May 3, 1794 and disbanded in 1828. It is unlikely they ever wore anything but this pattern of headdress in that time frame. This is a fine specimen of this famous headdress with its original black leather skull cap and peak. The skull is wrapped around the base with a dark green silk turban decorated with thin bras chains draped on the sides at intervals. The Silk is tied into a bow at the back and decorated with a silver bullion tassel. The skull crown is reinforced with two stiff brass brackets fixed to the body providing rigidity and protection from sword blows. The brass trim reinforced peak has a very pronounced birds beak shape. The craftsmanship to make this leather shell would be a lost art, impossible to reproduce today. the joint where the peak meets the skull is covered with two regimental banners reading "Northamptonshire" on the right "Yeomanry" on the left, the skull is crowned with a beautiful replaced bear skin comb. A rare headdress with restoration, priced accordingly.

Code: 50231

3000.00 CAD