Today we take a look at one of the most impressive reenactment pieces I ever came to own.
Reproduction of a shako (military hat) of sergeant-major of the Fusiliers-Chasseurs of the Imperial Guard, circa 1910
The
Fusiliers-Chasseurs were the “junior” branch of one of Napoleon I’s
most elite regiments of the Old Imperial Guard, the Chasseurs à Pied.
The Imperial Guard was divided in three parts according to how senior
the men were; the Fusiliers-Chasseurs were first put into the Young
Guard (which could welcome conscripts) before getting transferred to the
Middle Guard. The regiment disappeared in 1814 but its last men
participated in the battle of Waterloo with the Chasseurs à Pied.
This is an exact reproduction, created after research mainly based on Rousselot’s work, the most accurate Napoleonic historian.
The
Fusiliers-Chasseurs, sort of mix between the specialties of Grenadier
(red) and Chasseur (green) used both these colours in their uniforms.
This shako is in a parade set-up; in combat, the plume and
“cordon-raquette” (ornamental cord) would be removed, though the
soldiers of the Imperial Guard are known to go to combat in full dress
uniform.
The front bears Napoleon’s imperial eagle, here
immediately distinguished as an Imperial Guard one due to the absence of
regimental number. It is made out of brass, just like the chinstraps,
but could be made out of gold for officers. The imperial tricolour
cockade completes it.
The trims bear the distinct “stick”
pattern used for Guardsmen’s braid. The upper trim, of which the width
is determined by how senior the rank, is made out of gold thread (which
darkened under the chinstraps). The “V” trims on the side, also bearing
the stick pattern, are edged with gold.
Brass stars support, by
their hooks, the “cordon-raquette”, a purely ornemental piece which was
here made by hand by a Ukrainian craftsman using gold thread mixed in
with green and red. The technique used requires a lot of skill.
The
visor bears a rather faded pattern found on all Napoleonic shakos. The
leather parts, made out of French leather, were sewn together by a
French friend of mine, then dyed.
The plume, 40 cms tall as per regulations, ¼ of red and ¾ of green, was made out of real feathers by a Belgian craftsman.
A
most magnificent piece pieced together by skilled men all over the
world from a very weary shako that was donated to me.
The piece before
restoration:
Nowadays this type of reproduction is sold 830 euros by the main Napoleonic supplier… with materials of lesser quality.
