Lettre autographe signée au ministre de la Guerre à propos du casque créé pour l'Infanterie française

Autograph letter signed by the military painter and illustrator Edouard Detaille to the Minister of War Adolphe Messimy, one folded sheet. The painter had been charged with renovating the French army uniform and delivers here a first version of the helmet, which would be reworked by Louis Adrian and used during the First World War.
The painter presents a prototype of his helmet and requests that a few hundred be made: "J'ai l'honneur de vous adresse le casque que j'ai fait fabriquer pour l'infanterie, et dont l'adoption dès maintenant avait été décidée pour la batterie à cheval de la garnison de Paris. Je tiens absolument à la propriété de ce modèle, que j'ai étudié avec grand soin, et qui ne saurait subir de modifications sous peine de perdre tout son caractère artistique et son côté pratique. Je me mets donc à votre disposition pour en assurer l'exécution. Il ne s'agit pas à proprement parler d'une fourniture : c'est un essai et il suffit de 200 à 250 casques environ. [...]" ["I have the honor of sending you the helmet that I had manufactured for the infantry, and whose adoption from now on had been decided for the horse battery of the Paris garrison. I am absolutely committed to the ownership of this model, which I have studied with great care, and which could not undergo modifications without losing all its artistic character and practical aspect. I therefore put myself at your disposal to ensure its execution. It is not strictly speaking a supply: it is a trial and only about 200 to 250 helmets are needed. [...]"]. This first version was presented to the public and described in an article in Gil Blas January 24, 1912: "Ce casque est acier bleui avec cimier bronzé surmontant le milieu de la bombe. La visière et son cache-nuque sont uniformes, ce qui permet de le porter des deux faces. Le casque n'a ni endroit, ni envers, et il est ornementé de deux têtes de lion en acier servant à fixer la jugulaire, également en acier bronzé. Le côté gauche est garni d'une cocarde tricolore rajoutée" ["This helmet is blued steel with a bronzed crest surmounting the middle of the bowl. The visor and its neck guard are uniform, which allows it to be worn on both sides. The helmet has neither front nor back, and it is ornamented with two steel lion heads used to attach the chin strap, also in bronzed steel. The left side is fitted with an added tricolor cockade"].