Original Item: Only One Available. This is a particularly attractive original Victorian-era 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen’s Bays) full dress helmet, complete with its black horsehair plume, ornate regimental helmet plate, ringed chin scales, surviving leather backing, and original leather liner. Manufactured or supplied by the long-established British military outfitter Firmin & Sons, the helmet is marked size 6 7/8 and retains a strong untouched patina from age, service, and long-term storage. The prominent numeral 2 at the center of the helmet plate identifies the regiment as the 2nd Dragoon Guards, while the correct black plume provides an additional distinctive Queen’s Bays feature.

The Household Cavalry is made up of the two most senior regiments in the British Army: the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals. It is divided into the Household Cavalry Regiment, stationed at Kiwi Barracks in Wiltshire, and the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, which is garrisoned at Hyde Park Barracks in London.

The soldiers of the Household Cavalry have acted as the monarch’s guardians since 1660. It is also the public face of the British Army both in the UK and abroad. The Household Cavalry Regiment has an active operational role which sees soldiers serve in armored fighting vehicles, handling the nation’s conflicts.

The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment carries out ceremonial duties on state and royal occasions, such as Trooping the Colour. This is the regiment that accompanied the Queen’s coffin at the London parade.

This is an absolutely beautiful, genuine British 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen’s Bays) Parade helmet and comes complete with the leather liner, ringed chin scales with leather chinstrap backing and black-dyed genuine horsehair plume. The helmet does show use and long time neglected storage and is in need of a good cleaning, although we have left it as is to preserve the gorgeous patina. There is some oxidation spotting in spots on the exterior. The helmet plate on the front is in great shape with the two in the center indicating use by the 2nd Dragoon Guards.

The black plume is an important regimental distinction. Victorian dress regulations assigned different plume colors to cavalry regiments, and the 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen’s Bays) were among the regiments specifically distinguished by black horsehair.

The chinscales retain their original leather strap, but unfortunately the leather strap is missing most of its stitching and is now partially detached from the scales. Both rosettes meant to hold the chinscales in place are retained. The liner is retained, rare to see, but it shows heavy crazing and some cracking. The liner retains a partial tag:

FIRMIN & SONS
6 7/8

Firmin & Sons is a British company, founded in 1655, that manufactures and supplies military ceremonial buttons, badges, accoutrements, and uniforms. They are one of the oldest companies in the UK and is now based in Birmingham. 6 ⅞ is the size.

With its 2nd Dragoon Guards helmet plate, correct black horsehair plume, complete chin scales and rosettes, surviving leather liner, Firmin & Sons label, and size 6 7/8 marking, this is an especially appealing example of Victorian British heavy cavalry full dress headgear. The deteriorated chin-scale backing and crazed liner are significant condition considerations, but the helmet retains the major components and unmistakable appearance associated with the Queen’s Bays.