Original French 2nd Empire Reserve / Gendarmerie Officers’ Liberté, Ordre Public Brass Gorget Russian Headgear made much in the style

made much in the style of the European "Lion's Head" swords that came into fashion around the turn of the century

all during the 16th century except for one in the 15th and one in the 14th

The Great Artiste and Necessary Evil followed at short intervals

but we have left them completely untouched to avoid marring the lovely case-hardened finish

This example is a very rare transitional version

Original French 2nd Empire Reserve / Gendarmerie Officers’ Liberté, Ordre Public Brass Gorget Russian Headgear made much in the styleOriginal Item: Only One Available. This is a lovely example of a 19th Century French Second Empire Officers Gorget, as worn by the French National Guard and Gendarmerie. A gorget , from the French gorge meaning throat, was a band of linen wrapped around a woman's neck and head in the medieval period or the lower part of a simple chaperon hood. The term later described a steel or leather collar to protect the throat, a set of pieces of plate armor, or