"Facing Color for French 25th Heavy Cavalry" Topic

I am working on the French 25th Heavy Cavalry in 1800 but am trying to tie down the proper color for their facings – which were some shade of orange . The French during the Napoleonic years had three shades of orange that was used for facings – orange, aurore and capucine. I am looking for something finite which states which of these colors would be the correct facing color for this regiment.

Any help is greatly appreciated,

Terry

"Historex Series 686, French Cavalry 1794-1803, depicted in the above illustration by the two figures on the far left, were the heavy or battlefield cavalry of the French army. In 1791, there were 24 heavy cavalry regiments dressed in blue coats and, for uniform distinction, were grouped into four 6-regiment facing color groups: 1st – 6th scarlet, 7th – 12th yellow, 13th -18th crimson, and 19th -24th pink. In 1793, the 25th – 29th Regiments were authorized and assigned the color orange."

link

Paul :)

Thanks Paul, Using the Historex art as a guide it seems to be a reddish orange shade. I think I would prefer that over a Halloween orange shade.

Terry

That is a fairly "cheap and cheerful" print and is certainly well off re the shade of blue worn.

My understanding is that all 3 orange-shade colours were highly unstable and non colourfast.

Subject to correction by other posters, I would suggest not making any distinction.

Just go for orange.

Paul :)

I'd agree with hue.. as to the instability of any orange dye at that time and also note that this was a colour grouping of units. It is not clear that there was either shade differentiation between those regiments with the same colour or that they were all exactly the same. I doubt that there was any official differentiation but, in practice, it is quite possible that the shades varied.

From the early 18C well into the 19C the French seem to have been obsessed with inventing new colours with weird and poetic names. A rather strange thing at a time when colours of most dyes were likely to change with time.

go for orange, dibble's source provides also the facing colours distribution on the uniform coat, in case the miniatures are without gloves – you must check it out.

link

Paul,

Paul, a truly excellent color reference chart. I have the one done by Rousselot, which is slightly different, but on scale figures the difference is minor. Thank you for this. Is there a way to print this color chart for future reference?

Thanks!!!

Terry

Yes.

Get the image up. Right click on the image for the drop-box and right click, 'SAVE IMAGE AS'

Though the chart in the link is the Rousselot colour chart.

Paul :)

Great Paul, that indeed worked fine. What a valuable reference! The Rousselot chart I have is not as complete and is more like water paint brushed on a page with handwriting.

Thanks again for all the help!

Terry

Glad I could help.

May I ask what your project is?

Paul :)

I play DBN and am working on a French army of the 1800 period. I plan on the 25th to be the HC element. I am using a mix of 15 MM figures, but most are Essex.

Thanks again for all of the help!

Terry