French, 2nd Empire, M1860 Enlisted Shako, 43rd Regiment
This item is listed for historical interest only. It was listed on our site previously but has been sold and is no longer available for purchase.
Sold for: $595.00

Original era manufacture. A Frankenstein of sorts, but with great bones. Second Empire leather enlisted shako, model of 1860, with a decent sweatband but no internal chinstrap. The body is not crushed or broken, the stitching is sound, small tear in the visor on the right side. At the time of our purchase, all this old shako had was a later type red-white-blue cockade at front. That remains, but we have added a nice original pom-pom, and a stamped and gilded brass Imperial eagle for the 68th regiment. The helmet plate requires a winged nut to keep it in place on the shako, that part we did not have.