Lion Head

[steve wallis]

Hi guys - Got this in a job lot and left it till last , it seems like a large button but then I thought perhaps it could be a shoulder badge/ pip , I know pips are a similar size ??

Of course , as always any help is much appreciated , I am still very green with military stuff. (If it even is military)

Just to clarify to those who do not know yet I am more of a trader than a collector.

Thanks for looking.

lion head (8).jpg

lion head (1).jpg

[leigh kitchen]

First impression - a helmet chinscale boss?

[GriffMJ]

Below is a Georgian undress belt and sabretache for the Leicestershire Yeomanry Cavalry.... you can see the round disc lions heads as fitments on the belt waist sword strap joins. they are not exactly the same but very close and similar in size.

[steve wallis]

Fountain of knowledge flowing as fast as ever on here , love this forum , thanks for your time guys

[leigh kitchen]

I'm thinking along these lines, chinstrap boss.
I think I have similar fittings on one or two imperial German helmets I have, I'll check.

http://www.icollector.com/WWI-IMPERI...BERG_i21486766

[steve wallis]

That is a very strong resemblance !

[leigh kitchen]

An old fireman's helmet I have.
Edit - a German fireman's helmet.

[steve wallis]

Hi Leigh , thanks for your effort , it certainly looks the same !! So that would be called a "chinstrap boss" then ?

[leigh kitchen]

To me a boss, but these fittings whether they're just plain circular discs or decorated are generally referred to by collectors & dealers as chin strap or chin scale rosettes.
I've forgotten most of what little I knew about pickelhaube & the like but I think these lion heads were Bavarian.