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Auction: 5019 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 72

An Officer´s Helmet of the Madras Horse Artillery A superb and immensely rare helmet of the 1838 Pattern, with black-painted steel skull and peaks, the skull mounted with richly-gilt plate, the centre embossed with the HEIC Lion above the Ordnance arms, foliate sprays and scrolls inscribed with battle-honours java, mahidpore, and horse artillery, the peaks edged with gilt binding, gilt chinscales on black velvet lining, secured by massive lions-head bosses (some scales and one claw missing), the steel comb edged with gilt scallop-shell ornamentation and mounted on the left hand side with a Union spray in gilt metal, the red horsechair mane secured to the right hand side. Complete with original morocco leather internal headband and crimson silk lining. See illustrations on page 2 and back cover. Estimate £ 7,500-10,000This helmet, which belonged to Captain Jones of the Madras HA, comes by family descent. Jones joined the Madras Artillery in 1842 but did not transfer to the Horse Artillery until c.1856. This pattern of helmet was ordered to be replaced by a busby in 1859, and may in fact have been discontinued even earlier, which would account for the extremely good condition of this example.

Sold for
£11,000