"New Napoleonic Finnish Cavalry " Topic

Perry Miniatures released new Napoleonic Finnish cavalry

Main page
perry-miniatures.com

Amicalement
Armand

Awesome to finally get actual Finnish cavalry!

However, I find it odd that the uniforms and horse furniture doesn't seem to relate to 1808 Finnish cavalry but rather 1814 period Swedish cavalry in Central Europe.

For example, Between the Imperial Eagles clearly lists trousers for both regiments as yellow. All the pictures I've ever seen likewise. And all horse furniture is totally different in the pictures I've seen.

Also the hat and its badge colors (red!?) of Uusimaa/Nyland dragoons looks different than in the pictures.

Karjalan rakuunat / Karelian dragoons

Uudenmaan rakuuna / Nyland dragoons:

Both:

The previous picture in full so you get that second picture of Uusimaa dragoons:

Breeches that look yellow are probably some natural hide eg deerskin (?reindeer for these guys).

What Perrys have done is shown them in overalls, which might well be right for campaign, but not for not parade full dress, as, I imagine, is the intent of the contemporary illustrations above.

Stress that my knowledge of Finns is more of Fokker DXXIs and Brewster Buffalos however…..

I would have to admit I thought they fought as part of the Imperial Russian Army, not the Swedish….well back then anyway. Winter and Continuation War might have worked out different though.

(Since posting, I have tried to read up and realise that I am right and I am wrong. It is all a matter of date which side they are on….Like so much of poor Finland's military history and through no fault of their own!)

(?reindeer for these guys).

There are no reindeers in the southern Finland, where these units were based.

That is because they were all killed by the trappers and hunters, who skinned them to make breeches for cavalry. This is a little known fact……indeed known only to me.

Glad you like them my friend!. (smile)

Thanks for the guidance….

Amicalement
Armand

Deadhead is right, the buckskin breeches are for parade (as for most Napoleonic cavalry) overalls were worn on campaign. The illustrations shown here are much later, they range from mid to late 19th century and shouldn't be trusted,particularly the top two illustrations. They show, among other things, the headdresses in a stylized way, closer to the mid-late part of the 19th century, not the Napoleonic period.
Alan Perry

Alan,
not buying that.

Check Between Imperial Eagles.
Or the archived pictures at Historiska Arkivet.

I also seriously doubt that Finnish troops had any kind of different uniforms for parade or duty.

Hello Lonkka, I have Between the Imperial Eagles, it's a great little book with some nice contemporary pictures. An expert on the Swedish Napoleonic Army at the Swedish Army museum is helping me with research which include many more contemporary pictures and photos of actual items in their collection. I think I'm in safe hands….

I also seriously doubt that Finnish troops had any kind of different uniforms for parade or duty.

Shako covers and greatcoats notwithstanding…

Agree!.

Amicalement
Armand

An expert on the Swedish Napoleonic Army at the Swedish Army museum wrote the Between the Imperial Eagles too. Neither the uniform color listings nor the pictures you mention / show anything else than yellow breeches. Neither does any other book on the subject (I have around 35-50).

Never seen the trousers or horse furniture you mention used by anything else than Swedish hussars. In central Europe several years later than 1808. Pictures of Swedish cavalry are pretty hard to come by in any case.

Would be interesting to get a glimpse of these contemporary pictures you mention.

(Photos of) actual items are most likely actual items of Swedish units (and not Finnish ones) and most likely from the war in central Europe.

What a shame cameras were not invented before the Napoleonic wars, and so we are always going to be at the whim of 'the artist' be that someone doing these contemporary sketches or a modern sculptor using his own research items and opinion. No one is forcing you to buy them.

"Knotel stated himself that the Swedes themselves knew little of their own uniform history and I can testify from personal experience that this is, if anything, an understatement."
Whitney B. Young

A quote from;
link

which I found trying to learn more about these folk and which is well presented.

Not sure I understand "(Photos of) actual items are most likely actual items of Swedish units (and not Finnish ones)" the point being that until 1809 the Finns WERE Swedish. I presume these figures are from that early period as otherwise they would be in Russian rig.

The overalls. Some kind of skin breeches were almost universal for cavalry, but I cannot think of any units, of any country, that failed to protect them with overalls on campaign. Even hussars, even heavy cavalry with huge boots, even Guards units.

They are beautiful!

Glad you like them too my friend!.

Amicalement
Armand