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Martingale badge - Unknown
This badge could be French or Dutch/Boer, because of the design, but there's an outside chance that it could be a US piece from the Civil War. These badges were worn on the breast of the horse in an arrangement which helped keep the saddle in place. The crossed cannons and the flaming bomb denote artillery usage.
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Sapeurs Pompiers de la Marine helmet plate - French
This has to be one of the rarest of the 2nd Empire military fire brigade badges, being the helmet plate for the navy branch. The helmet was a magnificent looking creation in brass with a high comb and fancy chin scales. This would have been worn on the front of the helmet, above the peak and below the crest.
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Officer's lambskin kiver eagle - Russian
This is the badge (5.5cm across) introduced in 1882 and worn untill the abdication of the Tsar in 1917 in all line infantry and rifle regiments on a low crowned lambswool kiver. The other ranks version would have been a more robust product in die-struck gilding metal; this has a gilt finish.
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Cavalry officer's helmet plate - Swedish
This would have been mounted on a bright metal cuirassier pattern helmet, modelled on a Prussian example. They were in use with the Swedish army from about 1860. This particular example (about 11 x 11cm) has a nice fire gilt finish and would appear to be a cast, as opposed to die-struck, production.
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Officer's shako plate - Peruvian
This would have been worn on one of the early Peruvian shakos in the late 1820s to commemorate the surrender of the Spaniards and the liberation of Peru in 1824 and the founding of the independent state of Peru in the following year. It probably represents the third infantry regiment.
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Infantry chasseur officer's gorget - French
This is the classic French gorget, the shape inherited from the old Napoleonic examples, which usually carried the eagle. With the Bourbon restoration in 1815, the lilies replaced the eagle. Under Napoleon III, a silver Napoleonic eagle replaced the lilies in 1854. The hunting horn indicates a light infantry unit / chasseurs.
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Officer's gorget - Belgian
I think this is the early gorget from the start of Belgium as an independent kingdom in 1831. Gorgets were worn round the neck as the last vestige of armour and an indication of officer rank. They were worn in the Belgian army throughout most of the 19th century, normally only by infantry. Cavalry did not wear these, for instance.
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Chasseur a Cheval of the Guard officer's cartouche plate - French
This attribution is based on the central device, which was carried on the sabretache and the cartouche plates of the officers of this unit. The Chasseur a Cheval were Napoleon III's personal escort, in the style of his illustrious uncle. However, this badge was also worn by the cuirassier and dragoon units of the Imperial Guard.
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Paris National Guard other ranks belt plate - French
This is a Napoleonic design which may, indeed, be little different from the early 19th-century original. There was a National Guard in Paris since the days of the Revolution in 1789, when they were commanded by Lafayette. They remained in business right up to 1914 and beyond.
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Shako plate, possibly navy - Uruguay
This is probably a naval badge, on account of the anchor underneath the Uruguayan coat of arms. However, it is also possibly a generic military badge. If anyone knows what this is, I would be interested to hear.
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