Left: The colour sample from Prince August's own web site - unfortunately this only succeeds in confusing the issue of what colours to use, looking at additional reference material!
I suspect the only completely reliable way of getting an authentic palette for the uniform would be a visit to the regimental museum, but that's not going to happen! And although my brother has very kindly lent a hand by supplying a few examples of the history of the '10th' in pictures the uniforms changed subtly through the years and so made it a bit difficult for me to pin down just what colours to go for.
After a bit of head scratching I have plumped for this set of pictures on which to base the colour scheme for my model...
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| The red trousers seem to be a feature of the regiment of the 1890 period. |
I may have to accept that I may not get this one entirely right without digging into regimental histories. So, on second thoughts I may just do the best I can and transfer my horseman to the army of Molatero as a 'generic hussar'!
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Postscripts: Typically, while trawling the internet for picture reference although finding hard to get definitive colour illustrations of my 10th Hussars kettle drummer I found some wonderful pics of the 3rd and 7th Hussars kettle drummers!
Not colour, but a lovely period piece - 3rd Kings Own Hussars Kettle Drummer...
And, the vital full colour reference of the The 7th (Queen's Own) Hussars kettle drummer from 1992...
There is actually a whole host of very interesting and useful pictorial reference material on their unofficial regimental web site at: www.thequeensownhussars.co.uk
...I just wish something similar was available for the 10th Hussars!
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Update: Sometimes it doesn't seem to matter how many times you sift through Google for a subject, a random and quite insignificant change in your search definitions can produces results. So it was this afternoon when, trying again, I came across a site called www.hussards-photos.com - although not, as stated, photos the web site does include some nice period postcards showing the full range of Britain's Hussar regiments.
The site includes this wonderful illustration...
It seems very likely now that Prince August's painted model is completely wrong, as the web site shows a common relationship between the jackets within the family of Hussars regiments (except the 21st rgt., which was a lancers regiment). That common feature is the dark blue jacket and none of the depicted regiments featured any use of the sky blue tunic that Prince August has used on it's sample model.
I have a suspicion - that Prince August used the cigarette card of the 10th kettle drummer that I have included at the beginning of this post as reference for it's model. If you look at the card you can see that the inks used do give the impression of a greeny-light blue tunic - but this is simply due to the poor quality or even the age of the card. I do believe it is supposed to be dark blue.
But, I speculate...In any case I found this wonderful lithograph which depicts 10th Prince of Wales's Own Royal Hussars, Officer, Review Order. Published by Legras (Paris), late 19th century...
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| © Look and Learn / Valerie Jackson Harris Collection |
So, I now feel a little better equipped to reproduce a reasonable representation of the 10th's kettle drummer and will now turn my attention to the metal model and it's construction.
Oddly enough, I'm also having a go at this model in between doing other things.
ReplyDeleteMy initial thought is to polish it up and give it an antique Pewter finish but if that doesn't turn out well, I'll think about painting it.
Due to the many 19th century uniform changes, there is a certain amount of choice but I find the most common ceremonial uniform is the dark blue with gold piping. The shabraque and drum covers are more likely to be the red rather than the blue as in the Prince August illustration which seems to have got the uniform colour completely wrong anyway. The PA casting also seems to have omitted the Leopardskin saddle blanket detail as shown in your above illustrations.
Anyway, have fun with it, there is plenty of filing, fixing and fettling to be done so break out your dremel and soldering iron. Not sure how you are going to do the embroidered emblems on the shabraque but you will need the XRH etc. at the back and the ER etc, at the front.
Like yourself,I don't intend modelling a Hussar unit but I think as a 'one-off', this figure will look very nice on a display stand.