An excellent dress helmet made by Bent & Bush, Boston, for a company grade infantry officer.
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Description
1881 5th Infantry Officer’s Dress Helmet & Shoulder Knots. These items came from a west coast collection without any provenance to the original owner. The helmet is federal pattern in every manner for a company grade officer of infantry. The maker is Bent & Bush, Boston, a well known New England firm that held many government contracts for headgear, etc, as well as selling outright to officers and other ranks for the regular army and national guard.
The gilt is strong overall, and the felt covered cork body is in excellent condition with light soiling and wear. The interior has a nice quality lining with makers name impressed onto the red silk.
A pair of shoulder knots for a 5th Infantry officer, made by Horstmann, Phila. came with the helmet, and are not the same condition as the helmet. I have no way of knowing whether or not these came together originally. The bullion cording shows a lot of dark toning, and the white wool (for infantry 1880-1902) shows soiling, otherwise the condition is quite sound. The buttons are staff, not infantry.
The helmet alone is worth what I’m asking. A super example!
