14th The Kings Hussars Officers Bit Boss Horse Furniture Ornament Badge

An officer’s solid brass bit boss with Guelphic crown unit title and Eagle to centre. With five original tabs to the reverse. Slight polishing to eagle's breast otherwise in very good condition. Circa 8cm tall and 4.5m wide. Rare.

Bit bosses were worn by both light and heavy cavalry regiments from about 1860 to 1902, when a new pattern of bridle was introduced on which bit bosses were no longer worn. Officers retained the pre 1902 pattern bridle and continued to wear bit bosses for review order but with the new pattern King's crown from 1901 onwards. It should be noted that a universal pattern of bit boss was worn by other ranks. Distinctive regimental bosses were used only by officers, the RSM, the Bandmaster and the Mounted Drummer. There were some exceptions, such as the 19th and 20th Hussars, whose Officers appear to have worn the universal pattern. Officers' bit bosses as a field of collecting is therefore much under-rated as they are relatively hard to come by.

I will supply a copy of the excellent article by J T Thomson from Soldiers of the Queen, Issue 41, dated 1985-86, which provides excellent illustrations of the boss badges worn.

C19.15

Code: 62006