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Troop 54 French Foreign Legion Crimea 1854 Kepi piping

Discussion in 'General Figure Talk' started by Steve Edwards, Mar 29, 2021.

  1. Steve Edwards Active Member

    A recent PF discussion on the merits of metal or resin touched on many interesting topics but one which was not discussed was how fragile resin miniatures can be. Especially for clumsy chaps such as myself.

    I got my French legionnaire when it was first released but it has stayed in the box until now because within 2 minutes of my opening it I had:
    1. Snapped the bayonet off
    2. Knocked one side of the kepi peak off
    3. Broke the bayonet sheath
    4. Crushed the lower half of the musket's trigger guard
    Serious "bull in a china shop" stuff. I put it back in the box, hoping it would mend.
    It has taken me several hours to fix all that destruction and I'm now painting it. But I have a question where my research has failed me and wondered if anyone could help. Does the blue piping on the kepi (don't think it was called a kepi in 1854) continue onto the crown and go around the inseam of the crown as it does in later years? Or does it just go up the sides and stop at the crown. Thanks in advance.
    Babelfish and winfield like this.
  2. winfield Active Member

    "...hoping it would mend...". That is hilarious. Needed that, thanks!
    Steve Edwards likes this.
  3. Steve Edwards Active Member

    I think I've answered my own question. At last a found a view of the top of the crimean era kepi. This is a different unit but I reckon the foreign legion would have been issued with the same pattern. Clearly the piping does extend to the crown.
    kepi.png

    That picture was from an issue of Illustrated Historical Artist showing a magnificent model of Alphonse de Neuville's famous painting by Francesco Terlizzi.

    alphonse.png
    Blind Pew likes this.
  4. OldTaff PlanetFigure Supporter

    Country:
    England
    Certainly the Foreign Legion kepi/shako had the blue piping around the crown, and some illustrations show the kepi in 1870/71 without. I think you'll be pretty safe with piping for the Crimean War. (y):happy:

    Alan
    Steve Edwards likes this.
  5. Steve Edwards Active Member

    Thanks ever so much. Can someone come round and hold my hand steady enough to paint it!

    For any fine piping I have to paint the piping first then cut in with the main colour.
    Blind Pew and OldTaff like this.
  6. Martin64 A Fixture

    Country:
    Germany
    Fremdenlegion Krim 1.jpg Fremdenlegion Krim 2.jpg Fremdenlegion Krim 3.jpg
    Cheers, Martin
    Steve Edwards and OldTaff like this.
  7. Steve Edwards Active Member

    I remember being well impressed by that Francesco Terlizzi model. I've only seen photographs but I'd love to see it in the flesh. Wow! I thought you might enjoy a few more pix.

    crimea1.png crimea2.png crimea3.png crimea4.png crimea5.png crimea6.png
  8. Airkid A Fixture

    Country:
    England
    That's very special. Got a lot of Bill Horan about it, but, dare I say tighter on the detail. Steve, I've got that Troop 54 Legionnaire on my bench. I haven't broken any of it yet, but there's still time:LOL:!

    Phil

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