Evolution of the American Pressed Fiber Helmet

Part of the author’s collection of Pressed Fiber Helmets

Sadly little has been written on the American “Pressed Fiber Helmet,” which actually was in service longer than other other helmet with the American military. While we’ve previously noted that this pattern helmet was produced by two companies – Hawley Products and International Hat Company – little of its history and variations have been chronicled.

While a definitive timeline is still very much a point of conjecture and speculation, this author has attempted to create a reasonable timeline of that follows the evolution of the helmets.

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The American M1880 Helmet

While much has been written about the M1887/89 pattern American sun helmet – including by this author – there is the far less encountered M1880 helmet. This designation actually appears to have been used interchangeably over the years to describe the helmet pattern above, as well as the used by various National Guard units. Continue reading →

The Sun Helmets of the Portuguese Royal Navy, 1894-1910

Officers of the Portuguese Gunship “Diu” photographed in Goa (Portuguese India) circa 1900. Both wear peaked caps with white covers.

By the end of the 19^th Century, officers of the Portuguese “Armada Real” (Royal Navy) were in great need of some sort of tropical headdress. Unlike other ranks, which were supplied with large brim straw hats for tropical climates, officers had nothing to wear but their peaked caps, made hotter and heavier by the regulation white covers. Continue reading →

The 59th Regiment Madras Native Infantry

Illustrated London News, July, 1857. (Author’s collection)

The above illustration, from the Illustrated London News, July 1857, piqued my interest because my main area of collecting is British military headdress; however that soon became of lesser importance. The above engraving is captioned “59^th Regiment Madras Native Infantry – Sketched at Hong Kong” and its accompanying text states –

Illustrated London News, July, 1857. (Author’s collection)

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Storage/Transit Tins

When officers purchased their helmets, busbies, forage caps etc. they most often also purchased a storage/transit tin to protect their valuable items of headgear.

These came in various shapes and sizes to suit the type of headgear and could be ordered in both single and double configurations. For example, a wealthy officer may have purchased both a white and a khaki helmet and might therefore order a double tin. Continue reading →

Sun Helmets on Safari

In my world, the pith is not a sun helmet, but a crown.
And, to the wearers I study, the coronation is justified.

For just over a year I have been a staunch collector of not sun helmets, like my dear friend Stuart – although I dream of graduating to such an assemblage – but antique safari and big game hunting photographs, none of which are complete without firearm, fauna, and of course, the very symbol of adventure, the pith helmet. Continue reading →

White Cadet Dress Helmet

The George Patton Museum at Fort Knox has been undergoing a renovation for some months, and during this time the museum offered minimal displays. Among these included various uniforms from ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Cadet) programs from the past 150 years.

This included a cadet uniform from Cornell University from 1892. What makes this particular display interesting is that it features a white helmet that is stated to be an “Army adopted… dress helmet pattern,” and noted, “Except for the white color, this helmet mirrors the infantry helmet used for the regular Army during this time.” Continue reading →

Military Sun Helmets

Military sun helmets of the world.