Original U.S. Model 1881 5th Artillery Officer’s Dress Spiked Pith Helmet by J.H. McKenney & Co. Vickers MMG shortly after 5 a

shortly after 5 a

with much of the original gold finish present

Still they could be used for competitions shooting fowl

This is very engaging

Original U.S. Model 1881 5th Artillery Officer’s Dress Spiked Pith Helmet by J.H. McKenney & Co. Vickers MMG shortly after 5 aOriginal Item: One Only. Much like our European cousins in the 1880s, the U. S. Army started to adopt spiked pith helmets, often in white, with all brass mounts and occasionally plumes. These saw active service in the Spanish American War of 1898 especially in the tropical climate in Cuba. While often referred to as "pith helmets" in the broad sense, it was made from cork, like many European variants, such as the Wolseley pattern used by the British.