Original Item. Only One Available. Belgium is a relatively new Country, having been totally overrun by its neighbors for Centuries, mostly the French, the Dutch and even the Spaniards. After the defeat of Emperor Napoleon in 1815, the area we now call Belgium was ceded to the Dutch by International Agreement, but not with the support of the population. In 1830 the inhabitants rebelled and took control as their own State. This was made up of various small States and Counties including Liege and Flanders. The first King was LEOPOLD the 1ST who reigned to 1865, then LEOPOLD the 2ND who reigned until 1909 then ALBERT who saw WW1 and lived until 1934.
In the French tradition, Belgium equipped their own Army and amassed an Empire in Central Africa known as the Belgian Congo, Like every other European Monarchy Belgium maintained a flamboyant Army right up until WW1, then everything stopped.
Here we offer an ORIGINAL Belgian Cavalry Regimental helmet constructed of steel and brass with fine horse hair tail from the rear. It comes complete with it’s magnificent LION Helmet plate and impressive brass chin scales. The leather liner is now totally absent. The rear of the helmet is Numbered # 609 and is DATED 1848.
This really is a splendid helmet that saw service right up until WW1 when it was last used in Combat against the invading Germans at the BATTLE OF HALLEN on August 12th 1914. Thereafter the World grew up and Olive drab became the color and dull trench helmets became the norm.
Great to look at and Great to Display!