ANTIQUE AUSTRALIAN BRASS N.S.W FIRE BRIGADE FIREMAN HELMET RARE

Description

ANTIQUE AUSTRALIAN BRASS N.S.W., FIRE BRIGADE FIREMAN HELMET RARE
Extremely Rare Antique genuine  Brass Australian New South Wales Fire Brigade (N.S.W.F.B.) Helmet. The Board of Fire Commissioners of N.S.W. established in 1910. These tradition Merryweather type helmets were made from 1910 to 1936. Feature brass constructed helmet with the original link chin guard and the original leather lining. there are holes for ventilation, a peak which saved the wearer's face from injury should he fall forwards, a comb on the top which deflected falling objects and a skirt at the back for protecting the neck. Inside the helmet was a fitted skull cap made of leather which formed both a cushion from blows and a barrier against heat. The decoration of the fire-breathing dragon on the helmet's comb has both a symbolic and heraldic association. I bought it locally longtime ago. It is a museum piece and probably will not see another one on the market anytime soon. It is in good condition with minor dents/dings appropriate to age and use.
In colonial New South Wale, firefighting was a volunteer Jobs. then became a professional By the late 1800s. On 14 February 1884 the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, the precursor to the New South Wales Fire Brigade, was formed in Sydney. The traditional English brass helmet, known as the Merryweather type, was originally adopted in England in the 1870s by Captain Eyre Massey Shaw, Chief Officer, of the London Metropolitan Fire Brigade. Australian helmets (like this one here) were initially imported from England, with the appropriate brigade title. However during WWII brass needed for war,  in 1936 London brass helmets were replaced with a composite helmets of cork and rubber, the Board of Fire Commissioners of N.S.W., decided to continue using the proven brass helmets so, in 1940 they commissioned the Sydney firm, Rider and Bell Pty Ltd, to make them. In May 1964, the use of traditional brass helmets in NSW gave way to ones made of polycarbonate.  Please view the pictures for more details.
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