Fireman's Helmet — Handmade Metal Decorative Display Piece

A traditional fire helmet in handcrafted metal — the long rear brim, front shield and reinforced comb of a shape that has barely changed in nearly two hundred years.

Details

• Handcrafted metal construction
• Hand-applied finish with front shield and comb detail
• Long rear brim
• Decorative display piece — not protective equipment
• Suits a study, office, bar, shop or station display

The design

The American fire helmet was designed around 1836 by a New York luggage maker and volunteer firefighter named Henry Gratacap, and almost every feature answers a specific problem.

The long rear brim keeps water and burning debris off the neck. The high comb along the crown adds strength against falling masonry. The front shield carries the company number, so a chief can identify a firefighter through smoke. And the brim reverses — worn backwards, it shields the face from radiant heat while the firefighter is looking down.

Nearly two centuries on, the silhouette is essentially unchanged.