US 1832 Light Infantry Officers Shako
First let me apologize for the quality of the pictures. The Shako is enclosed in a glass case and is very fragile so I didn’t want t take it out.
This is one of my favorite pieces of militaria that I have in my collection. It is a 1832 US Light Infantry Officers Shako. A bell crown leather shako with the Silver Infantry eagle and silver cords with tassels as well as silver chin strap (flash makes the eagle look gold but it is a dull silver). Rosette above eagle holds a feathered plume for the light infantry of the period. The rosette depending upon who made the shako would be plain as this one is or have a small infantry button in the center. These bell crown shakos are the second design of head gear for the US Military following the stove pipe style shakos of the 1812 design. These shakos are extremely scarce and very few have survived over the past 177 years or so.
