Fire Helmet, "Globe Fire Company"
date: label: date made
content: 19th century
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 fire helmet was made by Cairns & Brother of New York, New York in the second half of the 19th century. The helmet is painted black overall, its eight combs are painted gold, and a metal eagle frontpiece holder is mounted on the crown. There is a pressed ivy-vine design around the rim, and the date “1812” is painted in gold on the rear brim. The gold frontpiece reads “GLOBE / FIRE / 30 / COMPANY / RFR” in raised letters. “Presented to Wm. M. Kidd” is written on the hat’s inner band. It is likely that the helmet and frontpiece were not originally produced together. The Globe Fire Engine Company No. 30 of the Kensington District of Philadelphia was founded in 1820 as a hand engine company. It acquired a steam fire engine in 1863 and operated as steam fire 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
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: 2005.0233.0144
label: accession number
content: 2005.0233
label: catalog number
content: 2005.0233.0144
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: Physical Description
content: metal (part: wire brim material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 14 in x 10 3/4 in x 8 3/4 in; 35.56 cm x 27.305 cm x 22.225 cm