Totally accurate reproduction of a Mexican enlisted grenadier's shako of the Mexican-American War period.  Constructed of heavy fuller's board, lined with shellacked hempen cloth,  and covered with exquisite original nineteenth century woolen broadcloth, this piece is crafted of materials  identical to those observed in originals.  Crown and visor are of molded, stiffened, and enameled leather.  Trimmings include the grenadiers' signature scarlet band--of vintage cotton tape with a distinctive woven texture--encircling the crown; brass chinscales lined with black leather; brass rosettes and stamped brass frontplate depicting the grenadiers' flaming bomb insignia: national tricolor cockade of molded-and-handpainted leather; golden yellow cockade loop of woolen worsted cord; and "carrot"-style pompon of 100% woolen yarn atop a wooden core, also in the Mexican red, white, and green.  The wide, russet leather sweatband is textured in a cross-hatched pattern typical for the period, and bears a handstitched 100% linen "headnet" with drawstring adjustment.  Size is 7 1/4, and piece is in new, never-been-on-a-human-head condition.  Mexican forces adopted this pattern of "shako rouleau" directly from the French (from whom many were imported) ca. 1840, and it continued in use through the early 1850s.  The Mexican Army also imitated French Napoleonic military organization, with each line infantry regiment incorporating two elite companies in its structure:  one of light infantry, and one of grenadiers.  The latter were distinguished from other troops by their scarlet trim and flaming bomb insignia.  With fewer than a dozen pre-1860 Mexican Army shakos and helmets extant today, it's unlikely any of us will ever have the opportunity to own an original, and this shako is identical in every respect save age.  We've made only two of these reproductions, and the other is now part of the collections of the National Museum of the Army Reserve at Ft. Bragg.

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