Fire helmet
1870–1900
Leather, paint, brass, textile, cotton fiber
Overall: 14 1/8 × 9 3/4 × 10 3/4 in. (35.9 × 24.8 × 27.3 cm)
Gift of Albert Blumgart
1938.62
The donor claimed that this helmet once belonged to Richard Croker (1841-1922), leader of Tammany Hall and an influential figure in New York City politics in the late 1880s and 1890s.
DescriptionEight comb cream painted (originally white?) leather fire helmet with tooled linear decoration on crown and floral vine border on brim; painted leather frontpiece with crossed bugles and inscription, "CHIEF 5TH BATTALION," in black and red on gold ground; brass eagle frontpiece holder; textile half-lining with cotton fiber padding.Markingspainted: on frontpiece: "CHIEF / 5TH / BATTALION"
handwritten: on tape affixed to back of brim: "47"
ClassificationsFIRE FIGHTING TOOLS & EQUIPMENT
Sponsor/Sponsor
