1833/1873 French 3rd Cuirassiers armor set 1/3

A spectacular, museum-grade 100% original 19th-century heavy cavalry outfit featuring a French Cuirassier helmet and body armor set. The breastplate (plastron) is crisply dated 1833 from the famous royal arsenal of Klingenthal. It is fully matched and unit-stamped to the 3rd Cuirassier Regiment (3e Régiment de Cuirassiers), a legendary heavy cavalry unit that fought under Napoleon and continued through the July Monarchy. This ensemble comes from an old, established German collection. This is an absolute top piece from the German collection you have taken over. Loose helmets or loose cuirasses are common, but a complete, homogeneous set from one specific soldier/unit (3rd Cuirassiers) from the early King Louis-Philippe period (1833) with such a high degree of originality is rare.

The combination of a 1833-dated cuirass and a Model 1873 helmet provides an incredibly fascinating glimpse into French military logistics. The French army was highly practical; high-quality steel breastplates from the Louis-Philippe era were regularly re-issued, retrofitted, and paired with updated equipment decades later. Following the regiment's reorganization post-1833, the 3rd Cuirassiers maintained a formidable reputation as elite heavy shock troops. The regiment went on to see significant active service, most notably during the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871), where they took part in the heroic but tragic cavalry charges at the Battle of Wörth (Frœschwiller). Because the armor remained perfectly functional, it was kept in service and re-issued alongside the newly introduced Model 1873 helmet, which became the standard pattern leading up to the opening months of World War I. For optimal collection display, a small hole has been professionally and cleanly added to the upper backplate, allowing the piece to be securely hung on a wall. Furthermore, the breastplate and backplate are currently held together by two professionally custom-made brackets/clips. These clips hold the armor tightly for an outstanding, stable wall presentation of the entire rig (including the helmet), yet they can be easily removed at any time without damaging the original steel.

This Item:

The Cuirass Markings: The edge of the steel backplate (dossière) is deeply engraved with the royal production text: "Manuf R au de Klingenthal" followed by the inspector stamps and the clear year "1833". The armor features matching serial numbers "1250" stamped across its components. It is also deeply stamped with its official period military unit markings: "3T 1l No 291" (designating the 3rd Regiment, 1st Company/Squadron, Weapon No. 291). Straps & Hardware: The backplate retains its two original, robust leather shoulder straps. These are reinforced with a double row of interlocking brass/copper scales and secure tightly via brass hook clasps. The original lower belly leather strap is completely intact and includes its correct brass buckle. Helmet State & Front Plate: The polished steel helmet skull is in outstanding condition, displaying a great untouched patina. The front features a vibrant brass plate embossed with the iconic cavalry flaming grenade. The left-side plume holder is securely mounted and detailed with light decorative scrollwork. The Comb & Plume: The tall brass crest/comb features its classical Medusa-head facade, showing a highly honest, old period soldier repair on the right side of the comb structure. Resting atop the comb is the original marmouset pompon packed with original red horsehair. The long, black horsehair tail cascades at full, unaltered length down the back. It includes a magnificent red and white feather dress plume (plumeau). Liner & Leather Suppleness: Uncommonly for its age, the leather components remain remarkably supple and strong. The brass-scaled leather chin strap is fully intact. The internal 7-tongue leather liner is 100% original, fully mounted, and still has its original leather drawstring cord. Both the underside front peak and the rear neck-guard are fully lined in their period leather. Helmet Inspection & Production Stamps: The interior brass rim features a stamped maker/inspector roundel with a large letter "C" enclosing a small "p". Underneath the neck shield tail, it features a stamped circle containing a stylized "E" (resembling a reversed 3) alongside the clear stamping "18 4 73", which indicates the specific assembly and production date of April 1873. The original manufacturer's name is lightly struck into the raw steel baseplate where it connects to the pot; though the lettering is partially obscured and difficult to read, the complete stamping is visible in the provided detailed photographs.

Important Collection Preview Note

This incredible rig is part of a newly acquired, high-end private German estate collection. Stay tuned to our website, as the following museum-grade historical artifacts from this exact same collection will be listed for sale in the near future:

4 Complete French Cuirasses (including one exceptionally rare, early Cuirasse de la Garde)
3 French Cuirassier Helmets
1 French Gendarmerie à Pied Helmet
1 Rare French Gold-Plated Flag Finial (Period 1830-1848)
1 Imperial German Garde du Corps Officer’s Helmet
1 Massive, Museum-Quality 1872 Prussian Veterans Regiment Color/Flag (crafted from heavy gold brocade on genuine silk)