Original Item: Only One Available. Known is Dutch as KOLBAK or BERENMUTS (Bear hat) also called “bearskin” this example is constructed of black fur, with an orange woven cockade to the front and a red bag with gilt tassel. Before 1940, mainly hussars, but also senior officers of the KNIL and the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee wore this style headgear.
KOLBAK is the Dutch name for the Hungarian prémes csákó (“fur shako”) or kucsma, a military head-dress made of fur, originally worn by Hungarian hussars, commonly called a “Busby” in English. In its original Hungarian form it was a cylindrical fur cap, having a bag of colored cloth hanging from the top. The end of this bag was attached to the right shoulder as a defense against sabre cuts.