French M1860 Enlisted Infantry Shako, Infantry Regiment 48

Original era manufacture. A classic piece of headgear with an American Civil War connection.All leather construction, with a removable pom-pom and stamped brass eagle front plate, regimentally marked to the 48th regiment. The wide, thin leather sweatband is complete, however only portions of the internally mounted chinstrap remain. Remnants of an old issue tag remain in the crown of the shako. The stamped brass eagle plate is held in place by a thin leather wedge, a'la aGerman Pickelhaube, and on its reverse is a small brass disc which is dated 1859.Adopted in 1860, this pattern shako remained regulation until 1867 when a new, all cloth pattern was introduced. In spite of the regulation change, this pattern shako certainly did see service during the Franco-Prussian war, as we have a similar example in our own collection which has an inscribed description as being captured in Strasbourg.In addition, this was the pattern of shako worn by the French regiments sent to Mexico to bolster the ill-fated regime of Emperor Maximillian.During our own Civil War, approximately 10,000 of this pattern shako were purchased by Uncle Sam to foist upon poor unsuspecting Union troops. They were universally detested by the Yanks, with most never being worn. Many were sold as surplus after the war to the God Father of the militaria business in the USA, Francis Bannerman.