December 10-13, 2024 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/10/2024
Derived from the visored, protective caps of leather (often velvet-covered) favored by huntsmen and postillions during the 18th century, bearskin-crested 'jockey caps' were first introduced in 1776 to replace the brass or japanned, sheet iron helmets earlier worn by British light dragoons. Quickly adopted by their American counterparts, they later became known as 'Tarleton' caps after Banastre Tarleton, the controversial British officer who commanded the British Legion, a corps of green-jacketed, Loyalist troopers that wore such headgear during the Revolutionary War. It remained the most popular form of cavalry headdress in the post-war United States, worn by the cavalry (and later artillery) of the U.S. Army during the 1790s and by the majority of the volunteer troops of horse raised and still in service at the beginning of the War of 1812. Such caps were usually trimmed with a turban of soft leather, cloth, silk or velvet (as in this case), which originally was intended to be let-down in bad weather to cover the shoulders, but soon was relegated to a more decorative role. The turbans were usually made in the color of the unit's facing color, or sometimes the body color of the uniform. This fine example of a Tarleton cap or helmet has a scarlet velvet turban, trimmed with silver cord running in a zig-zag pattern from small, silvered-brass buttons. The interior of the leather crown is backed with a yellow paper glued down to it and that, a linen hatband 5 inches wide. There is a linen-covered pad for the forehead area sewn over the liner or hatband in front, approximately 11 inches long and 3 inches high. The two-piece crown and visor are all made of a stout, "jacked" leather strong enough to resist most sword cuts. The visor is 2 1/2 inches broad in front and the cap is 8 inches high measured from the side directly behind the visor, including the crest (1 inch high at that, its tallest point). CONDITION: Overall, in very good condition, the leather and its stitching, along with lining, in very good condition overall. There is light soiling to the forehead pad from period use. As with the majority of surviving light dragoon caps from this period, the leather crest or roach, usually about 3-4 inches wide, running front to back, no longer survives (but could easily be replicated). There is minor loss to the velvet turban in the rear and some edgewear; otherwise quite good.