Original Item: Only One Available. This is a lovely example of a 19th Century French Second Empire Officer’s Gorget, as worn by the Royal Guard of the Restoriation. A gorget, from the French gorge meaning throat, was a band of linen wrapped around a woman's neck and head in the medieval period or the lower part of a simple chaperon hood. The term later described a steel or leather collar to protect the throat, a set of pieces of plate armor, or a single piece of plate armor hanging from the neck and covering the throat and chest. Later, particularly from the 18th century, the gorget became primarily ornamental, serving as a symbolic accessory on military uniforms, a use which has survived in some armies.

The gorget is constructed out of brass which has tarnished to a lovely patina, and features the copper arms of the Royal Guard of the Restoration period, which shows very heavy wear and very heavy verdigris around the border. There is minor pitting present on the reverse as well as scratching. The gorget measures 4⅞ x 3½”. 

A lovely example ready for further research and display.