Item Description
Original Item: Only One Available. Here we have a lovely early war WWI French M-1874 artillery enlisted man’s kepi on wonderful service used condition. Early WWI black wool body with red artillery piping and an intact leather chinstrap with artillery "crossed cannon" buttons. This pattern of Kepi was seen being worn from 1914 to 1915.
Original sweatband is intact but is presented without a size. Polished Cotton lining is intact, but it definitely shows fraying and wear in areas, particularly on the inner crown. Visor is of painted leather, which shows signs of cracking and crazing from age. The original visor binding is mostly intact. The body of the cap itself exhibits some mothing, some small tears here and there, as well as a lot of dirt and dust from decades of display.
These caps were worn up until the introduction of the “Horizon Blue” uniforms in 1915. Of course, older items lingered within service for longer until worn out and replaced.
WWI French enlisted material, especially early war material, is very difficult to come across in the collector market today. Naturally, enlisted items are generally more scarce, as those items were typically used until discarded. Add in the high attrition of the Great War, massive losses within the French Army add to the scarcity of these items, especially early war material. An excellent example ready for display!
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