Original Item: Only One Available. Always considered one of the most romantic styles of Cavalry Helmets, is this, the Czapka. The word itself is Polish / Belorussian, and basically means "cap". This style is perhaps best known to English speakers as a word for the 19th-century Polish cavalry headgear, consisting of a high, four-pointed cap with regimental insignia on the front (full name in Polish: czapka rogatywka, initially: konfederatka) to which feathers or rosettes were sometimes added.

The helmet style was then adopted by various other European cavalry units, including the Uhlan Cavalry units of the Austro-Hungarian empire. The term Uhlan itself was originally used for Polish-Lithuanian light cavalry units, so they borrowed the term along with the cap, and in this case, the people as well. By tradition the majority of Uhlans were recruited from the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria. The regiments were also stationed there, with few exceptions. This was a partition of Poland, administered by the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This helmet has a number 3 on the Austro-Hungarian Eagle front plate (wappen), which indicates issue to the 3rd Galician Uhlans (Archduke Carl's) (Galizisches Ulanen-Regiment „Erzherzog Carl“ Nr. 3).

The extra ornamentation on the visor leads us to believe that this is for an officer, and not a standard enlisted model helmet. Construction is a leather body, with a lot of added on ornamentation. The chin scales are still intact, and in great shape. The hackle/plume is also in good shape, as shown. Truly a magnificent helmet.

Condition is good, though it does show age.  A very rare helmet, the first that we have seen, ready to add to your collection!

Together with the Dragoons and Hussars, the Imperial and Royal Uhlans (German: k.u.k. Ulanen), made up the cavalry of the Austro-Hungarian Army from 1867 to 1918, both in the Common Army and in the Austrian Landwehr, where they were known as the Imperial-Royal Landwehr Uhlans (k.k. Landwehr-Ulanen).

The Austrian monarchy, weakened by the losing the war against Prussia in 1866, had to effectively guarantee the autonomy of Kingdom of Hungary in the so-called Compromise of 15 March 1867. As a result, the Hungarian half of the Empire immediately began to establish its own army, the Royal Hungarian Landwehr (Hungarian: Magyar Királyi Honvédség).

Following the signing of the Compromise, the Austrian half of the Empire also started to build an army, the Imperial-Royal Landwehr (German: k.k. Landwehr). The two new Landwehr forces thus existed alongside the Common Army (Gemeinsame Armee), the imperial army of the whole Empire. In effect this meant that Austria-Hungary had three separate armies at the same time.