Firefighter's Helmet
date: label: date made
content: 1883-1885
name: label: user
content: Zeluff, Peter
label: maker
content: Cairns & Brother
notes: label: Description (Brief)
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 (Brief)
content: This leather fire helmet was made by Cairns & Brother of New York, New York around 1883 until 1885. The helmet is composed of 16 combs, painted yellow, with an eagle frontpiece holder on the crown and a rear brim embossed with hose and hydrants. The leather frontpiece is painted gold with the text “ASSISTANT/ENGINEER” above an image of a spider-type hose carriage, with the initials “P.Z.” underneath. The initials stand for Peter Zeluff, an assistant engineer in Paterson, New Jersey during the late 19th century who owned the hat.
label: Description
content: Worn by Peter Zeluff, assistant chief engineer
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: New York, New York City
label: Associated Place
content: United States: New Jersey, Paterson
topic: label: Subject
content: Fire Fighting
label: Subject
content: Uniforms
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: Cultures & Communities
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content: Work
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content: Firefighting Collection
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content: Fire Helmets
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content: National Treasures exhibit
publisher: label: Related Publication
content: McCosker, M.J.. The Historical Collection of the Insurance Company of North America
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: 2005.0233.0015
label: accession number
content: 2005.0233
label: catalog number
content: 2005.0233.0015
objectType: label: Object Name
content: helmet, fire
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: leather (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: silver (part: plaque material)
label: Physical Description
content: brass (part: shield holder material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 8 1/2 in x 14 in; 21.59 cm x 35.56 cm