France, ca. 1806. Exceedingly rare trooper's helmet from the Napoleonic Wars, of the type used by the prestigious regiment ‘Dragons d’Imperatrice de la Garde Imperiale.' The regiment was created in April 1806 and disbanded in November 1815. This helmet is the 2nd type of helmet issued to the regiment and dates to the period 1806 to 1813, but no doubt remained in use until no longer serviceable. Only a small handful of complete helmets worn at Waterloo still exist, with those other known examples residing in museums in France.

Large, crested helmet with leopard skin decoration, horse hair plume and tail, brass chin scales with star bosses, crested front plate, leather inner turban. The interior of the helmet is stamped "166" and belonged to a trooper / a private soldier. During the rein of Napoleon Bonaparte man 166 was actually two separate men. The first was a man named Perrachoin who enlisted in 1806 and served until 1811. The second number 166 was Antoine Prudhomme who joined the army in 1808 and left in 1815 after the battle of Waterloo. This helmet was worn at the great Napoleonic victories of the battles of Jena, Eylau, Friedland, Bayonne, and Wagram. No other helmet from the regiment for a trooper, can be stated categorically to have been worn by a named soldier at these battles. Size: 10" L x 8" W x 15" H (25.4 cm x 20.3 cm x 38.1 cm)

Provenance: Ex-Green collection purchased from Antiquities dealer in France who acquired it from the well-known collection of Rene Cochelin in the late 1990s.

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IMPORTANT NOTE before bidding on this lot: Item is currently located in the UK. Due to import regulations regarding specimens of wild animals / their derivatives (in this case, helmet's original leopard skin adornment), a permit will be required for importation into the USA and this will be obtained by Artemis Gallery on behalf of the winning bidder. Please inquire before bidding with any questions.

#117196

Remarkably in great condition with some wear to the pelt