VTG CAIRNS FIREFIGHTER CHICAGO FIRE DEPT HELMET ENG. (07/20/2009)...

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VTG CAIRNS FIREFIGHTER CHICAGO FIRE DEPT HELMET ENG. 24

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VTG CAIRNS FIREFIGHTER CHICAGO FIRE DEPT HELMET ENG. 24

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Sold Date: 07/20/2009
Channel: Online Auction
Source: eBay
Category: Fraternal, Political, Organizations

~ VINTAGE CAIRNS & BRO. FIREFIGHTER CHICAGO FIRE DEPT HELMET NR ~

THIS AUCTION FEATURES AN INCREDIBLE VINTAGE CAIRNS & BROTHER CHICAGO FIREFIGHTER HELMET! THIS AMAZING VINTAGE CAIRNS & BROTHER FIREMANS HELMET IS TRULY SPECTACULAR IN DESIGN AND CRAFTSMANSHIP THROUGHOUT! CAIRNS & BROTHER FIREMANS HELMET ARE THE FINEST FIREFIGHTERS HELMETS IN THE INDUSTRY TODAY AND THEY WERE KNOWN FOR REVOLUTIONIZING THE FIRE FIGHTING PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY! I'VE INCLUDED A HISTORICAL PREVIEW OF CAIRNS & BROS AND THE STAGES OF THEIR HELMET DESIGNS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE AS IT PROVIDES SOME INTERESTING INSIGHT INTO THE COMPANY AND THEIR ROLE IN REVOLUTIONIZING THE FIREFIGHTERS HELMET INDUSTRY! THIS AWESOME CAIRNS & BROTHER OF NEW YORK VINTAGE FIREFIGHTERS HELMET IS IN WONDERFUL CONDITION FOR ITS AGE CONSIDERING ITS EXTREME WORK ENVIRONMENT! SPECIFICALLY, T IS SOME MINOR DAMAGE TO UPPER FRONT BADGE, BUT IT IN NO WAY DETRACTS FROM THIS INCREDIBLE VINTAGE FIREFIGHTERS HELMET...AND QUITE NORMAL FOR A HELMET WITH THIS USAGE! THIS TERRIFIC VINTAGE CAIRNS FIRE HELMET INCLUDES ALL OF ITS ORIGINAL COMPONENTS WITH ORIGINAL ENGINE 24 HELMET BADGE, MARKED "MATTHEWS 16313" WHICH I'VE DISCOVERED SIGNIFIES COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS! THE INTERIOR LABELS READ "CAIRNS & BROTHER, INC.", "ALLWOOD, CUFTON, N.J.", "MODEL # 770", "LINING C/E", "ORDER # 53771" AND "CHICAGO FIRE DEPT. FH-1-1981" AFTER REVIEWING THE HISTORY OF CAIRNS & BROS., I'VE LEARNED THE MODEL 770 WAS BUILT SPECIFICALLY FOR PHILADELPHIA FIREFIGHTERS THUS SUBSTANTIATING THE NAME MODEL 770 PHILADELPHIAN! IN ADDITION, ANOTHER INTERIOR LABEL READS "THIS CAIRNS HELMET MEETS OR EXCEEDS THE FOLLOWING STANDARDS : ANSI Z89.1 1969 CLASS D. SHELL CONSTRUCTED OF LEXAN POLYCARBONATE" WITH CARE INSTRUCTIONS. FURTHERMORE, THIS AMAZING VINTAGE HELMET INCLUDES A BOURKE SAFETY EYE SHIELD, POLYCARBONATE CONSTRUCTION, INTERIOR LINING W/ NECK PROTECTOR, ADJUSTABLE CHIN STRAP AND MUCH MORE! I'M NOT SURE OF THE SIZE OF THIS HELMET...PLEASE REVIEW THE FOLLOWING MEASUREMENTS...THANK YOU. OVERALL, THIS IS TRULY AN INCREDIBLE VINTAGE CAIRNS CHICAGO FIRE FIGHTER HELMET AND WOULD MAKE A PERFECT ADDITION TO ANY FINE VINTAGE FIREFIGHTERS HELMET COLLECTION!

MEASUREMENTS:

FRONT TO BACK: APPROXIMATELY 15 " INCHES

WIDTH AT ITS WIDEST POINT: APPROXIMATELY 11 1/2 " INCHES

HEIGHT AT ITS TALLEST POINT: APPROXIMATELY 7 1/2 " INCHES

HELMET OPENING FRONT TO BACK: APPROXIMATELY 9 " INCHES

HELMET OPENING AT ITS WIDEST POINT: APPROXIMATELY 8 " INCHES

HISTORY OF CAIRNS & BROTHER:

From CAIRNS & BROTHER, INC. To CairnsHELMETS

Like most good things, Cairns got its start with very humble beginnings. The founder, H.T. Gratacap, had carved a niche in an innovative ocean transit luggage market, making his luggage from specially treated leather so it would offer superior durability and withstand wetness without rotting. Being a volunteer Firefighter in New York City, he and his compatriots became aware of the need to provide Firefighters with better head protection. Gratacap rose to the need by inventing the first American fire helmet in 1836. That helmet was named the New Yorker, and although being re-engineered many times through out it’s life, it is still produced today.

Shortly after this, two brothers named Cairns, who were operating a Metal Badge, Button, and Insignia business in New York, came up with the idea to mount an identification badge to the front of Gratacap’s helmets. Hence the first front piece and holder. The match was made, and the companies cooperated until Gratacap retired in the mid 1850s, and the Cairns & Brother legacy began. At this time, the business was known for the manufacture of a rigid head protection device made out of leather and very ornate helmet identification shields known today as front pieces. Not inclined to rest on their laurels, the Cairns brothers and their nephews began to expand the product lines to encompass nearly all of the Firefighters' contemporary equipment needs. Thro...