*Replica, Brass Merryweather Fireman’s Helmet*
A Merryweather style Brass Fireman’s helmet, possibly made by the Australian company Rider and Bell, the large comb embossed with fire-breathing dragons to both sides, universal pattern helmet plate to the front, with brass rose bosses and interlinked, leather backed chin chain, complete with liner.
Merryweather brass helmets, introduced to the London Fire Brigade in 1868 by its first chief officer, Captain Sir Eyre Massey Shaw, were modeled after the French Sapeurs-pompiers helmets he saw in Paris. This helmet became the longest-serving design in the brigade’s history and was quickly adopted by nearly all British fire brigades, becoming an iconic symbol of British firefighting. Made of brass, with silver-plated versions for officers, the helmet posed a conductivity hazard with the increasing use of electricity. To address this, the “Gold Comb” helmet, made of cork and rubber, was introduced in 1938, replacing the brass helmet and setting the general style for brigade helmets in the decades that followed. Though the “Gold Comb” was used briefly before World War II necessitated steel military-style helmets for air raid protection, this new helmet marked a shift to non-metal materials that continued after the war. Traditional brass helmets remained in service in Queensland, Australia, until 1970.
*Condition*
Excellent used condition. Some wear to leather chin strap. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
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