Description
BRAUNSCHWEIG – SADDLE BLANKET EMBLEM – OFFICER
It was common for an officer to have regimental designation on the saddle blanket for his horse. Today we offer you a two piece emblem which would have been placed on the saddle blanket of his horse for one of two regiments from the Duchy of Braunschweig.
Both of these regiments were storied in the annals of the German army. They were Infanterie-Regiment Nr 92 and Husaren-Regiment Nr 17, Both regiments were founded during the Napoleonic wars.
1• Infanterie-Regiment Nr 92 fought bravely during the Peninsula campaign under the command of the Field Marschall and later the Duke of Wellington.
2• Husaren-Regiment Nr 17 fought under the command of Prince Friedrich Wilhelm (1771-1815) who was known as the “Black Duke. The battler of Quatre Bras was a prelude to the Battle of Waterloo. During this bitter fight, the Black Duke fell in leading his men in a heroic charge defending a key cross roads.
Both of these regiments served during the Franco-Prussian War 1870-1871. Braunschweig was at that point administered by Prussia after Hanover to which Braunschweig swore fealty was annexed by Prussia. It should be noted that in 1897 Kaiser Wilhelm II restored the Battle Honors won in the Napoleonic wars and the Franco-Prussian War. Thus each regiment wore not only the bandeaus that they had won but the Totenkopf.
The emblems that we describe and offer would have been seen on the saddle blankets that officers used. The basis of the emblem is black velvet(?). In the center of the emblem we see the royal cypher of Prince Frederick Wilhelm, the “Black Prince” in gold bullion against the black background. Around this is a double circle of gold stitched gold sequins. Around this is a sunburst of multiple rays of silver bullion. Extending through the center of the emblem are a pair of crossed swords in gold bullion.”.
The second piece to this emblem is an equally handsome crown of the Prince. It is embellished by silver bullion and sequins. Topping the crown is a cross. The pair are in excellent condition. The crown measure 3″ x 3″
This emblem measures a generous 5” x 5″
