"Napoleonic Austrian Line Infantry Shoulder Straps" Topic

Ok TMP'rs, here's one for discussion.

I've run accross 3 different images of what the Line Infantry Shoulder Straps are supposed to look like.

1. Solid colour of the facing colour.

2. Outside piping of the facing colour.

3. Solid facing colour in the middle with white piping on the outside.

Which is correct?
Thanks In advance!

I vote for (2) and (3). White piped in facing color or facing color piped white.

i believe it is #2

#2. See:

link

I paint my Austrian shoulder straps white-piped in the facing color as in (2) but two of my references (Osprey, Editrice Militaire Italiano) both list (2) and (3) as acceptable.

#2 AND #3, depending on regiments (of course, we don't have data on which regiments did what).

I've seen both and I've read both were common.

I believe #2 is correct, but I paint 15mm armies and paint them as #1.

To be more precise, #2 is the regulation. However, as I said previously, many regiments wore #3.

Thanks gents!
I'm in the middle of painting 7 Battalions of 28mm.
I wanted to get it right.

My vote is for all of the above. I think it depends on the time period and regt you are talking about. There were lots of little distictions between German, Hungarian, Italian, and other ethnic groups within the Empire.

That said, I would paint them however you want and if someone complains, just ask them to show you an 8"x10" glossy of the original uniform in question so you can repaint. Many times 'regulation' was only a line on a paper somewhere.

My 2 phenig worth,
Brian

I did research on this issue some time ago.
The 1798 regulations don't give us any answer. The next regulations (1827 – the first printed ones)leave us with space for interpretation – but I think the most probable way to read them is facing colour with white piping. This goes with Hübners Ökonomie for the Napoleonic time. A tailor in Vienna, who specialices on reenactment uniforms, told me that this version is most probable from his profession's point of view – it needs less expensive facing colour material).
I have not been able to find regulations for white with facing coloured piping – Kaiserliche Hoheit would make me very grateful pointing out the one he refers to.
But: there are lots of contemporary sources for this version.
It is curious – such a simple basic question and no precise answer to it.
So we can only assume that both shoulderstraps were used – but why? And there are no ways to tell what unit wore this or that at a given time.

PS
Contemporary PICTORIAL sources, that is.
My Austrians – painted some years ago – have white with facing coloured piping. So has my first reenactment uniform, but my second has it the other way round. My oncoming Austrian figures will comply with this and maybe I am going to change it with the older figures.

Thanks GC! What you are saying seemed to be what I was getting. No one really knows for sure. So do what you feel looks best. On a 25mm Figure most people will not even notice the difference anyway. But I guess I'll go with No 3.
Cheers.

Why not mix both? That's what I do. Anything to give a little diversity to my Lines units.