Bailey W
This 1860 bronze grenade-style plume holder was used on the 1856 - 1878 gunner's busby. The straight, white hair plume rises vertically out of the round bronze scabbard. The plume support was attached to the left side of the fur busby by a slide fixed to the holder. This plume badge bears the words "Quo Fas Et Gloria Duncunt." When translated it said "Where right and glory lead." This is not unusual because this the Royal Artillery's Latin motto.
This dark bronze piece was used to hold the feather plume to the top of a British infantry shako. The British adopted the design of this hat from the Austrian Magyar Czak in 1800. The plume, however, was added sixteen yeas later. These plumes where fastened along with the metal holder to the top front of the headgear threw the round opening in the bottom of the metal ball. This bomb-style feather plume lasted only nineteen year form the time it was brought into fashion, to the time it was replaced by the woollen ball tuft in 18 35.
This fragment is the remaining flame part of a grenade-style helmet decoration. This style was used by the Royal Artillery, Engineer, as well as the fusilier units, making it harder to identify. It is possible that it is from a helmet plate, since it is large and doesn't have the plume scabbard attached. Because it is different from the British Royal Artillery's pieces it may be Canadian.