French, 2nd Empire, Garde de Paris, NCO Shako

Original era manufacture. Leather top and visor, with a blue wool covered cardboard body. At the front, is an impressive looking stamped brass Imperial eagle from the time of Napoleon III, above which is a stamped steel tri-color cockage, with a red wool pom-pom above.The shako is decorated with a top band in red and gold brocade, with a matching material, inverted V on each side, black patent leather band and the base of the shako.Linked brass decorativechinstrap, which issecured with two flaming bomb buttons.The shako is very sound, with an intact leather liner, and an internal, fold-down leather chinstrap. Normal age and wear overall, with the stitching of the decorative band at the crown coming loose. The Garde de Paris, was a very military-style gendarmerie organization, tasked in keeping order in the capital city.