Fire Helmet, "Continental V.V.B. 1"
date: label: date made
content: 1845
name: label: producer
content: Cairns & Brother
label: maker
content: Cairns & Brother
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 leather fire helmet was made by Cairns & Brother in New York, New York around 1845. The helmet has eight combs and is painted black with a pressed ivy-vine design around the rim. The frontpiece is painted black, with the white number “1” with a hook and ladder crossed behind it in the center. On red banners above and below the center is the text “CONTINENTAL/VVB” in raised white letters. The name Baufuskirk appears on a piece of paper inside the hat, possibly the owner’s last name.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: New York, New York City
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: 2005.0233.0148
label: accession number
content: 2005.0233
label: catalog number
content: 2005.0233.0148
objectType: label: Object Name
content: helmet, fire
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: leather (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: brass (part: shield holder material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 9 in x 11 in x 14 in; 22.86 cm x 27.94 cm x 35.56 cm