Original British Anglo-Zulu War Era Officer’s Private Purchase “6-Panel” Pith Helmet with Unbroken Original Chinstrap - Circa 1880
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Original Item: Only One Available. This is the "classic" pattern of British sun helmet of the latter decades of the 19th century. The sun - or "pith" - helmet originated in India around the time of the Mutiny, but was only officially adopted in 1877 for general use by the British Army for use by all ranks serving in tropical locations including India and Africa. Known as the Foreign Service Helmet, the helmet was made of cork and covered in white cloth.
This style of helmet was used in notable conflicts including the Zulu War, but was also used in some earlier conflicts including the Abyssinian campaign and the Ashanti War. This example shares many similarities with the extremely rare 1877 Colonial pattern, but we believe it to be a private purchase example of that pattern.
The helmet appears to have been sealed with a protectant during the period for tropical wear. The underside of the brim has a beautiful silky green lining, with the helmet itself having no lining, with the bare cork visible. The top has a label reading TROPICAL HELMET, almost certainly the designation given to private makers at the time. The cork spacers between the helmet and sweatband are well-retained, and the extremely scarce original chinstrap is well-retained, sitting on the brim, although very weak.
This helmet has been whitened but shows a bit of staining, which is expected of a helmet that was used in the field. It is a fantastic and very rare totally original example of an iconic helmet as used in the Zulu Wars.
- This product is available for international shipping.
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