US Allien Officer Cavalry Helmet 1881.

Nice horsehair plume
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I think it is yak. I am not sure at all and I know so little as to be completely dangerous. My intent is to research this regiment and the name of the officer with the hopes of attributing it. Certainly a lot different than Imperial German cavalry.
 
"We went to Arizona for to fight the Indians there;
We were nearly caught bald-headed but they didn't get our hair
We lay among the ditches in the dirty yellow mud,
And we never saw an onion, a turnip or a spud.

"Oh the drums will roll upon my soul, and this is the style we go, forty miles a day on beans and hay in the regular Army-O"

No one does them better than Laughlino..nice helmet Joe
 
I'm so glad you got the helmet, Joe! Yes, the plume is yak hair, and it's less fun to plait than it sounds--I actually did the plaiting for your plume, and Cameron made it beautiful, so there you have it.

Now you just have to collect all the other branches, because you can't beat Field Artillery red.

v/r
Wolf
 
Wolf,

Thanks for all your help with this! I actually do not want the other branches. What I want to do is research this time Nichols. I am a real novice at this and the field seems to be crowded from a historian perspective. I am just in search of information about the second cavalry! Keeps me off the streets. I expect to send the next book to the publisher next week so there is nothing on the horizon besides travel. Maybe I will finally fix the website! As far as fakes are concerned I think the worst of the worst his World War II German. Imperial stuff is getting tough but it is nothing like those guys. Whatever you did to this helmet was certainly nice. We are now out looking for a nice dome to display it in but we have yet to find one big enough. If you have some display ideas I am all ears. I really want to keep the dust off. Thanks again.
 
Joe--
I can recommend the books Brass Spikes and Horsehair Plumes: A History of U.S. Army Dress Helmets by Gordon Chappell and A Guide Book to U.S. Army Dress Helmets: 1872 - 1904by Mark Kasal and Don Moore. Mark wrote the forward for my sun helmet book. Excellent books and all three are great guys.

Cheers,
Peter
 
I think I have the first book I just have to find it – no easy task. I hope to get this manuscript off of my hands this week and be able to turn my attention to something else. We are in the middle of a display case endeavor. So far no joy.

V/R
Joe
 
Alas, I sought out having a custom dome made--but then I got too many helmets to want to keep doing that. So, now I just display them on stands, and occasionally lightly hit them with some air.

It really was a beautiful time for US uniforms. If you don't want the other branches, you still have to think about the M1872 Cavalry model.

I'm very glad you are the one who got this piece.

v/r
Wolf-Ekkehard
 
Could somebody enlighten me on the meaning of 'Allien'?

I collect British blue cloth helmets, so it's really nice to see this piece.

Thanks

Patrick
 
Patrick it is the name of the manufacturer. This is a relatively not very common model and you can see the manufacturer's name on the inside at the top of the helmet on the vent.
al8 by joerookery, on Flickr
 
chinstrap said:
Could somebody enlighten me on the meaning of 'Allien'?

I collect British blue cloth helmets, so it's really nice to see this piece.

Thanks

Patrick
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Patrick--
I like the blue cloth helmets as well, but they still look black to me! I do think the American helmets were as much based on the blue cloth homes service helmet as the German pickelhaubes. This has been something I've discussed and written about (http://www.militarysunhelmets.com/2013/straight-to-the-point-the-history-of-the-spiked-helmet" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;).

My feeling, as I've said in various articles is that the spike was just fashionable at the time. The Russians liked it, so then the Prussians liked, but it was already making headway in India. Personally I think it all came out of Persia.

Cheers,
Peter
 
Sure--Allien was simply one of the makers of such helmets. Henry V. Allien, based out of New York, is unique in that his helmets were vastly different than those of other makers -- for instance, the eagle on the frontplate is unmistakable and stands out. The waffles on his cords are incredibly large, and his buttons are uniquely shaped. What also sets Allien's apart is that their fronts are uniquely peaked--just like the British helmets--which has lead to speculation that he simply imported helmets from England and turned them into US Helmets. It's a taste thing, as Officer's always had privately purchased gear.

Here is a picture of one of my helmets made by Pettibone. You can see just how different the frontplate really is. I have an ivory summer dress 1880 helmet, by Allien as well, and the peak is unmissable. (White helmet).
 
For eagle comparison. The ones on the left are Horstmann variants. The ones on the right are by Allien. Horstmann examples are the design approved by the Army. Allien just kind of did his own thing. Just another case of showing you that regulations are ... just regulations.
 
Just another case of showing you that regulations are ... just regulations.
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Wolf,

Thanks for that! I really didn't know that it was that acute of a difference. This really is a riot because 100 ago when I was in the Army I used to wear World War I vintage wide wingspan war Eagles everyday. I was told on this very forum that that was not true and that no soldier would vary from the regulation. Guess it wasn't just me! Now I have to find a bunch of information/pictures on the officers wearing these helmets in the Second Cavalry. They might have some in Carlisle?? :-k
 
Redlegwolf said:
What also sets Allien's apart is that their fronts are uniquely peaked--just like the British helmets--which has lead to speculation that he simply imported helmets from England and turned them into US Helmets. It's a taste thing, as Officer's always had privately purchased gear.
Click to expand...

Interesting stuff Wolf. Very nice.

I have to disagree with your opinion that British helmets have a peak in the front. The Foreign Service Helmets are far more rounded than the blue cloth Home Service Helmets. I personally think Allien modeled these are the Home Service Helmets. Most of the Foreign Service Helmets I've seen - as well as those in Chris Mills' new book on British sun helmets - lack the brass trim that is seen in the HSH.
 
I have no idea if this is the real thing. If it is, it may be of interest to some of you.

http://www.waterloomilitaria.com/index.php?id_product=149&controller=product" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Patrick
 
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