Saxon Hussar HR 18 Konig Albert Officer Shoulder Board Leutnant Cypher

This is a single original cavalry officer’s Schulterstück (shoulder board) of the 1. Königlich Sächsisches Husaren-Regiment „König Albert“ Nr. 18 (1st Royal Saxon Hussar Regiment “King Albert” No. 18), garrisoned at Großenhain. The crowned royal cypher and the absence of rank stars identify the wearer as a Leutnant (second lieutenant) of this named regiment.

The board follows the Imperial subaltern officer pattern: doubled flat-braided silver bullion cord over a wool underlay, the braid interwoven with the green silk fleck that marks Royal Saxon manufacture. At the center sits a gilt crowned cypher, an interlaced royal monogram surmounted by a pierced crown, denoting the regiment’s royal chief. The underlay is the dark blue facing associated with the regiment. The reverse carries the original wool backing with the slip-on tongue, an old collector’s paper label, and a later notation.

The regiment bore as its honorary chief King Albert of Saxony, whose royal cypher the board carries. Saxon hussar regiments maintained the dash and prestige of the light cavalry arm and figured prominently in the kingdom’s mounted establishment; period images show the regiment paraded at Großenhain under its royal patron. The crowned cypher on an officer’s board reflects that the unit was held under a member of the ruling house.

The green fleck confirms Saxon manufacture; the crowned cypher marks the royal chief; the unstarred field fixes the rank at Leutnant. The cypher reads as a Saxon royal monogram consistent with König Albert, the regiment’s named chief, rather than a generic initial.

Condition is good with honest age. The silver bullion shows tarnish and softening of the braid at the lower end with minor fraying, and traces of blue underlay fiber loss at the base. The gilt crowned cypher is complete and bright. The reverse retains its original backing and an old collector’s label, partially legible.

Named Saxon hussar officer boards bearing a royal chief’s cypher are scarce and carry strong appeal to collectors of the mounted arms and of the Saxon royal house. The direct association with King Albert, combined with the diagnostic green fleck and intact crowned device, makes this a desirable single cavalry piece.