Presenting Historical Objects: The Example of Napoleonic Headwear

Enhance your historical objects with custom bases

When French history enters our basing workshop

We base a lot of objects in a year. And some pieces leave a bigger impression than others. They stand out for their aesthetics or for what they tell us about our history.

These Napoleonic headdresses, in particular, really impressed us. To be honest, we even imagined they could speak 😊

To showcase them, simple black wooden bases were designed. Only the small coves at the base add a touch of fancy. Otherwise, we felt that a sober execution would be the best solution.

Infantry hats from the Napoleonic army

The two headdresses or hats presented below come from Napoleon I's infantry army.

"Bonnet de grognard" (grenadier's hat), possibly real fur, on its wooden base with coves

Fur hat from the Napoleonic army on a custom base with coves

Shako of the Napoleonic infantry army on a black wooden base with coves. Custom made

The headdresses rest on the wooden squares at the top of the rod. The wooden squares are intentionally rigid so as not to deform the object. The support must be optimal.

Another solution can be offered: the support plate above the rod. The choice between the two solutions depends on the shape of the headdress.

💡 Did you know: The Napoleon III style placed great importance on ornamentation and decor. Techniques from the 17th and 18th centuries that had since been abandoned were brought back into fashion: Boulle marquetry and Martin varnish were thus used again. Mother-of-pearl inlay decorations and porcelain plates were fashionable. The exuberance of gilt bronze ornamentation characterized the Napoleon III style.