Shako badge, Russia, 19th century
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
19th century
Shako badge in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (museum number S.670-2016), made in Russia, dated 19th century, attributed to unknown. The museum's brief description reads: Russian shako badge from the Crimean War, 19th century.
Museum description: Brass plate badge depicting an exploding grenade, with a central circle and three flames shooting out from the top, left and right sides. There is a small hook on the reverse of the badge. The museum records it as Brass plate, measuring Height 16.0 cm; Width 10.4 cm. These details come from the museum's own record; how far this object represents a wider collectible type has not yet been independently verified.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
Badges such as this were worn on the front of a shako, a tall military cap worn by cavalry and infantry troops in the Crimean War. The design of this badge would have identified the owner as a member of the Russian Grenadiers. This shako badge was found by William Gilbert on the Crimea battlefields in 1899. Gilbert, the librettist half of the duo Gilbert and Sullivan, created an internationally-touring canon of comic operas in the late 19th century, including H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- brass
- Dimensions
- Height 16.0 cm; Width 10.4 cm
Technical characteristics
- Technique
- Brass plate
- Maker recorded
- unknown
- Place recorded
- Russia
Identification
- Museum object name
- Shako badge
- Museum object number
- S.670-2016
- Museum system number
- O1373180
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: confirm the wider type, maker and catalogue references against a specialist reference.