Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The 2nd Somerset Light Infantry Militia Officer’s 1869 Pattern Green Cloth Shako, the skull complete with silver braid decoration, plated chin chain and side ornaments and silver frontal plate this being a crowned multi-rayed beaded star overlaid with oak sprays enclosing a strap ‘Second Somerset’, in the voided centre a strung bugle horn, a looped scroll at the bottom ‘Defendemus’, buff leather sweatband with purple silk lining throughout (part detached and perished), the plate appears to be original to the shako, the plated plume holder of correct pattern with VR cypher on the ball and dark green wool plume, considerable moth damage around the top rim, further moth damage to the rear left panel and the plume holder fractured in one place, the shako is sound and worthy of sympathetic restoration £300-400