m1881 6th Infanty Regiment's Field Grade Officer Helmet by Henry V. Allien

[Redlegwolf]

m1881 6th Infanty Regiment's Field Grade Officer Helmet by Henry V. Allien. Really one of the more beautiful examples I have come across, thought the forum would appreciate it as a reference. Allien helmets are quite distinctive because of the unique peaked visor, flat side buttons, and of course-the very odd and different eagle front plate with oversized branch insignia. The other thing about Allien is that he appeared to offer several levels of helmet where sometimes he just standard issue items (like spike baseplates, side buttons, etc), and then other times used very distinctive ones (flat side buttons, squared base plates, etc). There is a tendency to equate Allien made helmets as being of high quality, but some of them were quite the opposite. I suppose he gave you what you paid for just as Horstmann offered several different levels of quality.

 

Field Grade officers were all expected to be mounted. I can only imagine how the large white yak hair plume would have commanded the attention of a Field Grade on horseback among walking infantry.

[KurtA]

Outstanding. Thanks for posting such a rare helmet.

[268th C.A.]

yeah thats very clean! Beautiful example.