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MODEL 1889 US ARMY SUMMER HELMET – SOLDIER
WHITENED AND TRIMMED WITH ARTILLERY INSIGNIA - VERY NICE
SOLID SPECIMEN: One of the classic pieces of
Indian War headgear, this Model 1889 US Army Summer
Helmet has survived in very nice solid condition.
Probably best known for their issue to the soldiers in
the Southwest during the Apache Wars, in fact these
helmets eventually saw wide distribution throughout the
army’s installations as a standard issue relieving the
soldiers of their heavy and hot woolen headwear.
Despite the army’s specific directives proscribing the
use of any of the brass insignia featured on the dark
blue wool Model 1881 Dress Helmets on these Summer
Helmets, the troops – presumably with their officers’
blessing – decorated their Summer Helmets with the brass
insignia as is seen on this helmet. As evidenced by
surviving period photographs and surviving examples, the
soldiers recognized the relief from summer or tropical
heat afforded by these helmets, and simply transferred
the insignia from their dress helmets to the summer
helmets for parade or social functions at the frontier
or overseas posts.
The Model 1880 US Army Summer Helmet was manufactured in
white, but was specifically criticized by officers for
the way in which the white color stood out when worn in
the field. When the helmet was redesigned and issued as
the Model 1889 Summer Helmet, the army responded to the
complaints by manufacturing it in khaki drab, foolishly
believing it is possible to make everyone happy. Viewed
in the context of the times, it worth noting that these
helmets were issued and worn by US soldiers during the
waning years of the Victorian Age, a period when British
soldiers were wearing bright white pith helmets in
tropical climates – accenting their uniforms in a way
familiar to all of us who have viewed the movie “ZULU”.
No doubt, US Army officers wanted their troops to
reflect the same level of style as that exhibited by the
British, and our officers had the ability, if not the
permission, to make it so. A simple application of a
white clay based coloring – probably similar to the
white dressing which was used years ago by the dragoons
to color their straps and accoutrements – rendered the
drab khaki helmets a bright white. Worn with the dark
blue blouse and the white cotton trousers already a
standard issue to the US soldiers, these whitened
helmets were a natural addition to complete a full head
to toe summer uniform at the frontier posts across the
southern United States and in tropical posts around the
world.
The body of this helmet still retains its full shape
with no damage or crushing to the crown or the brim. As
described above, the outer cotton khaki covering has
been whitened, and is intact with no wear spots or
tears, all of the seams are intact and the material is
overall clean with minimal signs of age and storage.
The inner lining of crown is fully intact with no heavy
stains or wear. The green linen lining on the underside
of the brim is intact with only minor fading and signs
of aging and wear, but no substantial separation of the
weave as is so often seen. The leather sweat band is in
very good condition and all of the cork mounting discs
are present, as are the two brass chin strap hooks and
the round paper size tag.
The helmet is trimmed with the brass dress helmet
insignia – the spike and its oak leaf base, and the
enlisted man’s artillery eagle front plate. The
insignia has made plain imprints in the surface of the
cotton covering and the cork body of the helmet,
indicating the brass trimming has been on the helmet for
a very long time and is not some recent affectation or
addition.
One of the highlights of this helmet is that it still
retains the full length, original white patent leather
chin strap, complete with the brass adjustment buckle.
These white leather chin straps were not particularly
robust and they did not survive well in storage, often
simply disintegrating to dust in such places as
Bannerman’s Island. In spite of its age, the chin strap
retains the white enameled finish to the leather. There
is some evidence of age as is common with enameled
leather in that there are some light age cracks across
the surface, however the leather is very strong and the
strap displays very well. The rarity of these white
chin straps cannot be overstated and they are simply not
found on the loose anymore. Finding one still mounted
on the helmet as in this case is a very nice added
value.
The inside of the crown is ink stamped with a patent
banner, indicating the style of the helmet was patented
on May 8 (or 3), 1883(or 8), the date suggesting this
helmet was in one of the first batches produced prior to
the contracts being let in 1889 to such civilian
contractors such as the Horstmann Company. The
underside of the rear brim bears a handwritten soldier
applied identification, “Sgt. P.M.”. That the helmet is
identified to an NCO supports that these helmets were
decorated with the brass insignia, and that the insignia
present on this specimen is not some later addition.
This is a very nice example of one of the more unusual
pieces of US Army headwear from the Indian War and
Spanish American War periods, trimmed as it might have
been worn on the parade field of such posts as Ft. Sam
Houston, Texas; Ft. Apache, Arizona Territory; the
Presidio of Monterey, California, or Santiago, Cuba.
(0202) $495
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