Here we have something truly unique; A uniform of a French Hussar made for a child. Presumably, this would have been worn by the son of an officer on ceremonial occasions or for show.
The uniform consists of a full hussar uniform: the tight fitting dolman jacket, the fur lined pelisse jacket worn over the left shoulder, the cavalryman’s trousers and a shako.
The uniform is faded but looks to have started out as a pale blue with what looks to have been originally gold piping down the front of the Dolman, the buttons are brass.
The jacket is a slightly stronger blue colour with a fur trimming and with the piping less faded with more of the gold visible and a better polish on the buttons.
The uniform has braid along the outside of the arms, legs and pelisse in a style mimicking the military of the time.
The shako is a cloth and leather imitation of a military one, meant to look the part but be comfortable for a child to wear. The chinstraps of the shako are hammered copper, imitating brass scales , the braid and bullion appears to be as it would be on an officers shako. There is no badge on the front of the front but there is a small fabric French Cockade.
This uniform appears to me to be a miniature copy of the French 5th Hussars, leading me to believe this was made for the son of an officer of said regiment.
The uniform is marked 'L. Granier, Costumier, Paris'.
This gives us a very interesting and rarely thought of insight into the military of the time, where it was common to take families to war and where it wasn’t uncommon to see a child of an officer in some form of military uniform on certain occasions. This is a wonderful piece that would form a brilliant part of any collection of French militaria.
The uniform comes on a period mannequin, marked with a makers name from Paris.
~ Dimensions ~
The dolman jacket has a width across the shoulders of 31cm (12 inches) and a total length of 44.5cm (17 ½ inches).
The pelisse jacket measures 27 inches (10 ½ inches) across the shoulders with a total length of 42cm (16 ½ inches).
The trousers have a waist measurement when laid flat of 33cm (13 inches) with a total length of 76cm (30 inches).
The mannequin has a height of 91.5cm (36 inches).
The uniform and mannequin together weigh approximately 5Kg
~ Condition ~
The uniform has suffered a fair amount of moth damage to all pieces.
The uniform has sun damage in parts.
Some of the fur in the lining of the pelisse has rubbed away.
There is some wear and some holes where the stitching meets and the stitching has work away at the crotch.
There is the odd button missing.
There is some wear and moth damage to the shako.
Please refer to images for further condition details.
~ Postage ~
Please contact us before buying. Postage costs will depend on whether the uniform is to be sent with or without mannequin.
