Fire Helmet, "M.D.F. Steere"
date: label: date made
content: mid 19th century
name: label: maker
content: G. W. Simmons & Son
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 fire helmet was made by G.W. Simmons & Sons in the mid 19th century. The leather helmet has eight combs, and it is painted black. A metal eagle’s head serves as a frontpiece holder that is mounted onto the helmet’s crown. The leather frontpiece reads “M.D.F. Steere/4/AMESBURY” with a crossed hook and ladder behind the “4” in the center of the frontpiece. The M.D.F. Steere hook and ladder company was located in Amesbury, Massachusetts. The company was apparently named after M.D.F. Steere Esq., a prosperous local woolen mill manager who financed the building of Amesbury’s opera house.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Fire Fighting and Law Enforcement
label: See more items in
content: Clothing & Accessories
label: See more items in
content: Work
label: See more items in
content: Firefighting Collection
label: See more items in
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: 2005.0233.0202
label: accession number
content: 2005.0233
label: catalog number
content: 2005.0233.0202
objectType: label: Object Name
content: helmet, fire
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: leather (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 8 1/2 in x 14 1/2 in x 11 in; 21.59 cm x 36.83 cm x 27.94 cm