Fire Helmet, "Friendship / 15 / 1796"
date: label: date made
content: ca 1900
name: 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 helmet was manufactured by Cairns & Brother of New York, New York around the late 19th century. The helmet has eight combs with an ivy vine scrollwork pattern stamped into the brim of the helmet. The metal eagle’s head mounted on the crown of the helmet serves as a frontpiece holder for the gold leather frontpiece that reads “FRIENDSHIP / 15 / 1796.” The Friendship Fire Engine Company of Northern Liberties, Philadelphia was founded August 18, 1796 and operated as a hand engine company until 1871 when Philadelphia’s paid firefighting department was established.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: New York, New York City
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: 2005.0233.0226
label: accession number
content: 2005.0233
label: catalog number
content: 2005.0233.0226
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 in; 21.59 cm x 35.56 cm