Fire Helmet, "1819"
date: label: date made
content: 1850-1860
name: label: maker
content: Gratacap, Henry T.
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 Henry T. Gratacap of New York, New York n the early 19th Century. The green hat has eight combs that are painted gold. The back of the hat has the text “FA” above the date “1819” on the rear brim. The FA likely refers to the Fire Association of Philadelphia, an insurance company founded by a group of eleven volunteer engine companies and five volunteer hose companies that incorporated in 1819. A metal eagle is mounted to the top of the helmet’s crown to serve as a frontpiece holder, but the frontpiece is missing from this helmet.
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
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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 Musuem and Art Collection
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 2005.0233.0211
label: accession number
content: 2005.0233
label: catalog number
content: 2005.0233.0211
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; 21.59 cm x 36.83 cm