Original Item: Only One Available. This is a fantastic example of a rather difficult to find Prussian M1894 Mitre. This mitre was worn by the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 1st Guard Regiment of Foot, Grenadiers. Though the cap is well worn and aged, it does appear to be complete minus the chinscales and pom-pom, which is very scarce to see.

During the 18th century (and in a few cases the 19th), soldiers designated as grenadiers in various northern European armies wore a mitre (usually called a "mitre cap") similar in outline to those worn by western bishops. As first adopted in the 1680s this cap had been worn instead of the usual broad-brimmed hat to avoid the headdress being knocked off when the soldier threw a grenade. The hand grenade in its primitive form had become obsolete by the mid-18th century but grenadiers continued as elite troops in most European armies, usually retaining the mitre cap as a distinction.

Militarily, this headdress came in different styles. The Prussian style had a cone-shaped brass or white metal front with a cloth rear having lace braiding; the Russian style initially consisted of a tall brass plate atop of a leather cap with a peak at the rear, although the German model was subsequently adopted. The British style—usually simply called a "grenadier cap" instead of a mitre—had a tall cloth front with elaborate regimental embroidery forward of a sloping red back, lined in white. Some German and Russian fusilier regiments also wore a mitre with a smaller brass front-plate.

This Prussian example has a lovely brass front plate with an eagle clutching a sword and arrows in its talons. Above the eagle in a banner is the motto of the 1st and 2nd Battalions that reads as SEMPER TALIS which translates to “always the same/great”. This motto is still used today in the modern German Guard Battalion at the Federal Ministry of Defence. The front plate is in wonderful condition and does not show any signs of extensive damage or wear.

There are lugs on the side for the attachment of chinscales, although this example is missing them. The red wool “bag” is in wonderful condition with minor separation and moth nips. The leather liner is still present and does not appear to be missing any fingers. It is marked on the reverse with Size 54 and a company mark, 14 COMP. This would be for the 14th Kompanie (Company) of the 1st Foot Guards Grenadiers.

By the end of the 18th century, due to changes in military fashion, the mitre had generally given way to the bearskin or had been replaced by the standard infantry tricorn or bicorn. The British Army made this change in 1765 and the Prussian Army in 1790. All Russian grenadiers continued however to wear mitre caps until 1805, even when on active service.

The mitre in its classic metal-fronted 18th century form survived as an item of ceremonial parade dress in the Prussian Leib-Grenadier No 1, 1st Garde-Regiment zu Fuss regiments, and the Russian Pavlovskii Regiment, until World War I.

This is a wonderful example of a rather hard to find Imperial German Mitre cap!

The 1st Foot Guard Regiment was an infantry regiment of the Royal Prussian Army formed in 1806 after Napoleon defeated Prussia in the Battle of Jena–Auerstedt. It was formed by combining all previous Foot Guard Regiments and was, from its inception, the bodyguard-regiment of Kings of Prussia. Save William II, who also wore the uniforms of other regiments, all Prussian Kings and most Princes of Prussia wore the uniform of the 1st Foot Guard Regiment. All Princes of Prussia were commissioned lieutenants in the 1st Foot Guards upon their tenth birthdays. The King of Prussia was also the Colonel-in-chief of the regiment, as well as the Chief of the 1st Battalion and 1st Company of the regiment. Therefore, the regiment held the highest rank within the Prussian Army, which, among other things, meant that the officer corps of the regiment marched before the princes of the German Empire and the diplomatic corps in the traditional New Year's reception. Unofficially, the regiment was known as the "First Regiment of Christendom" (German: Erstes Regiment der Christenheit).

The regiment was disbanded in 1919 when the Imperial German Army was dissolved, with the Infantry Regiment 9 Potsdam of the new Reichsheer bearing its tradition. The Wachbataillon (Watch Battalion) continues the tradition of this regiment in the Bundeswehr of the Federal Republic of Germany.