Crimean War Era Fusilier or Grenadier?
 

I'm not sure if this little portrait, about 3" high is a form of photograph or otherwise partially printed image which has been hand coloured with ink or paint or if it's all drawn and painted by hand.

I think that it's of a Crimean era Fusilier or Grenadier, the facings are those of a royal regiment.


Can anyone identify the regiment please?

Is that type of headdress from the Crimean War period ?
Andy

It remains new me of Regency but I think could fit Crimea if allowing for artistic license.
I'm not sure about much with this little picture.

I have discussed this with a friend who is a recognised expert on uniforms and badgesHe and I have both concluded that this is Grenadier Guards, though I suppose there might have been a chance it is one of the three Royal regiments of fusiliers at the time, 7th, 23rd or 87th. My friend pointed out that there is very little evidence for collar badges for other ranks before around 1870, also the 23rd at this period had bastion ended lace not pointed as here, a painting in the Royal collection of a sergeant of the 23rd at a similar period shows no grenade on collar,,instead he has a bar of bastion lace as on the chest, Hope this is of some use, cheers,
Michael

Thanks for that, I need to start researching a name, see if anything comes of it.

Grenadier Guards, around 1830, that oversized and imposing style of forage cap was common across all ranks and regiments of the Foot Guards at that time, whereas it was seen only on officers and battalion HQ staff sergeants in regiments of the line. It was invariably worn by officers with their undress frock coats. I agree that the 23rd had a bastion loop on their collars during the same period. By 1850 the cap shown had been replaced by the low crowned forage cap with its flat horizontal and spade shaped peak in the line, while in the Guards a soft crowned early version of what evolved to become the 1880 forage cap had evolved into use, recognisable by its so called drooping peak, bound around its edge with gold lace. There are several contemporary pictures of subject forage cap in page 6 of the thread titled ‘Grenade Fired Proper’: https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...t=14757&page=6
They continued in use until at least 1850 (see drummers below). Notice the chin strap, also distinct in your image, which was worn down when on parade. As I’ve mentioned previously the Guards were unique at that time in having two types of undress headdress, a forage cap, and a folding field cap. The badge on the forage cap was brass and that on the field cap cloth.

Thank you - time to renew my full "Ancestry" subscription.

Does it relate to your family then, Leigh?

No, the picture was an eBay purchase, but it is believed by the seller to be of an ancestor of theirs who, it turned out, was from a village 2 miles from the one I live in.