Mystery Busby

Peter_Suciu

Well-known member
I picked this up at the Michigan Antique Arms Show on Saturday. The price was right. The seller seemed to think it was Italian, and I'm not sure it is police, paramilitary or Italian Army - or something completely different (to sound like Monty Python). Any ideas?

Busby1_zpsec4j5kok.jpg

Busby2_zps0vat0k3l.jpg

Busby5_zpsze1hmtzf.jpg

Busby6_zpsr98zeojm.jpg

Busby4_zpsajgviait.jpg

Busby3_zpsaermrhrf.jpg
 
The cord is a part of a pre-1918 Royal Hungarian Honvéd hussar shako for enlisted.

Tschako.jpg


However this busby isn't Hungarian or AH military headgear.
 
Hey Peter,

I found the exact same Busby about 10 years ago on a table at Bob Chats west coast militaria show. The consensus was that it was a hollywood prop, as it seemed to be very lightly made of cardboard under the cloth. I got it cheap to use as a display form in case i ever obtained an original WWI German busby cover. I wouldn't want to cover up one of my few Busbys :)

The consensus among my buddies could be wrong, so let me know what you find out. Mine is in storage until I retire, so I will try to post pictures in July to compare with yours.

Bryan.
 
To me the cords look like the could be from late 19th century US artillery helmet. Hollywood got a lot of stuff from Bannermanns -
 
Hey Pete, did you ever find out anything more on this Busby? Do you have a picture of the interior?
 
Hey Pete,

So now that I am on terminal leave here at the end of my Marine Corps career, I have gotten back to Florida and am slowly digging through boxes of stuff we had packed away.

I found that Busby that is a spot-on twin of the one you pictured. It is identical. It has a nice lining inside, and a leather band marked:

SHOWERPROOFED BY
REG. U.S. PAT. OFF.
"CRAVENETTE"
THE MALLORY HAT CO.

I am thinking this is a hat worn by a doorman or bellhop from a 1940s or 50s era hotel, and was made and likely stocked by this company for sale to hotel chains needing to uniform thier staff.

Anyhow, I think I paid 10 bucks for mine. It will be used to display the elusive Busby cover if I ever run across one so I don't cover up my one and only German enlisted busby.

S/F

Bryan.
 
Thanks for the information. Well, the Mallory Hat company was around from 1823 and was sold in 1952.
 
20190616_224224.jpg

Hey Pete,

As promised, attached are some pics of the Busby I have that is like yours. One of the pics shows the markings inside that we discussed.

S/F

Bryan
 
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