Fire Helmet, "CHIEF D.I.T."
date: label: date made
content: 1865
name: label: user
content: Turnbull, David I.
label: maker
content: unknown
notes: label: Description
content: The traditional American leather firefighter’s helmet with its distinctive long rear brim, frontpiece, and crest adornment was first developed around 1821-1836 in New York City. Henry T. Gratacap, a New York City luggage maker by trade, is often credited as the developer of this style of fire helmet. Gratacap created a specially treated leather helmet with a segmented “comb” design that led to unparalleled durability and strength. The elongated rear brim (also known as a duckbill or beavertail) and frontpiece were 19th century innovations that remain the most identifiable feature of firefighter’s helmets. The body of the helmet was primarily designed to deflect falling debris, the rear brim prevented water from running down firefighters’ backs, and their sturdy crowns could aid, if necessary, in breaking windows.
label: Description
content: This white leather helmet was made around 1889. The helmet has 24 combs, a metal eagle frontpiece holder, and a rear brim embossed with an image of a hoses, hooks, ladders, lamps, and horns. A metal plate sits in the center of the image with the engraving “David I. Turnbull, appointed May 1, 1889.” The frontpiece reads “CHIEF/D.I.T.” with a painted central image of a fire trumpet with a helmet perched on top and a variety of firefighting tools crossed behind the trumpet. The helmet belonged to David I. Turnbull, who served as Chief Engineer in Paterson in 1877 and was appointed Chief Engineer by the Paterson aldermen, serving from May 1889 until May 1890.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
topic: label: Subject
content: Fire Fighting
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Fire Fighting and Law Enforcement
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content: Clothing & Accessories
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content: Work
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content: Firefighting Collection
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content: Fire Helmets
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of CIGNA Museum and Art Collection
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 2005.0233.0143
label: accession number
content: 2005.0233
label: catalog number
content: 2005.0233.0143
objectType: label: Object Name
content: helmet, fire
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: leather (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: white (overall color)
label: Physical Description
content: black (part color)
label: Physical Description
content: yellow (part color)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 14 3/4 in x 11 in x 8 3/4 in; 37.465 cm x 27.94 cm x 22.225 cm