SHAKOS, COLBACKS AND SHAPSKAS - NAPOLEONIC EMPIRE
If we do not find the item you need, please contact us, for we may have it made for you. Do not forget to have a look at our special offers section, too !

HL510 - 4th regiment grenadier Shako, 1812 type - 540€ - Special order only

Napoleon ordered at the beginning of 1806 the hat to be replaced by the much more practical shako. He became of common use only in 1807 and 1808. Most colonels began tio improve it with several accessories, such as raquette and cordons. These were banned in 1810, but... they were still used. Most of the remaining shakos tell us that regulations were not very often followed. The "bourdalou", used to adapt the shako to the head of the infantryman, should have disappeared in 1812, but was still in use for the grenadiers, as on our copy.

In 1812, a new regulation modifies the regimental brass plate, and some other points. Our reproductions comes with a pompom, cordon, raquette, plate, cockade, but without plumet.

 



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HL514 - 2d Hussar regiment, trumpeter shako , 1812-1815 - 510€ - Special order only

HL513 - 3d regiment of Gardes d'Honneur shako, 1813-1814 - 630€ - Special order only

After the russian disaster, Napoleon has no more army, and his cavalry disappeared in the snows. Back in France, he works on making it anew. He therefore asks noblemen to enlist in a new cavalry corps, the Garde d'Honneur. Four regiments were created.

These people have to equip themselves in a hussar way : deep green dolman and pelisse, crimson hose, and a red shako. After a year service, they were granted the ranl of officers in the army.

This shako is a superb copy of the one weared by the men of the 3d regiment, based in Tours, under General Segur command. All the metallic parts are white, as are knotted cords, and galon. The plumet is green and yellow.

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Old painting of a Garde d'Honneur


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Original piece
HL511 - Shapska (also called czapka) : 1er Regiment of Polish lancers of the Imperial Guard - 660€ - Special order only

When Napoleon went to Poland in 1806, he was given an escort made of the best youg polish noblemen. Deeply impressed, the Emperor enlisted them in his old Guard, as a regiment of polish light horse, in april 1807.

They were called "Polish Lancers" after Wagram's battle, where they used brillantly these weapons they had taken from austrians uhlans. Their bravery soon became a myth, especially after the spanish campaign, during which one single squadron dislodged almost 15000 spanishmen, at Somosierra. Only 15 lancers survived. A second regiment was built in 1811, the famous red lancers' one.

These men were equipped with two pistols, the cavlary musket and a light cavalry an IX saber. During the year 1809, they receive the same saber than the Guard's Chasseur à Cheval.

The Shapska is about 30 cm high, and its top, called "Pavillon", is square, in a typic polish pattern. The peak is made of varnished leather, and has an edge of tinplate. Then comes a wide leather turban and the hat, made of crimson cloth. The chin strap is made of 32 tinplated rings and the hooks holding it are decorated with lion heads.

The brass plate, with a crowned N in the middle, is specific to the lancers. The maltese cross, on the cocard, tells the polish origin of the men. The Shapska is weared with a 40cm high white plumet, and the raquette and cordon.

We may make other shapskas : red lancers, Vistule's lancers, line lancers... Just ask.





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HL512 - Guard Chasseur a Cheval's Colback - 720€ - Special order only

Bonaparte build his regiment of Chasseur à Cheval mostly with the scouts who came back from the egyptian campaign. The consular guard, whom they belong, becomes in 1804 the Imperial Guard. This regiment is initially made of four squadrons, then five. In 1813, when the New Guard is assembled, 3 new squadrons join the Chasseur a Cheval.

They are Napoleon personnal bodyguard, and are based in Paris. Every man wears a special saber, two pistols and one an IX cavalry musket.

Also called "talpack", the colback is a turkish hairstyle, brought back from the egyptian campaign. Basically, it is a fur shako, modified later to become this well known hairstyle, also weared by the hussar's elite companies. This item has a leather shell interior covered with bearskin with a cloth bag piped with lace or metal soutache, closing the colback's top. Trimmings include knotted cords, and a tricolour woolen ball tuft with an embroidered eagle. Holding this headdress on the soldier's head was a set of scaled chinstraps mounted on leather.


Chasseur à cheval de la Garde - old painting