16.2 (6.4in) cm x 22.5 cm (8.7in)
Pressed copper rolled over outer wire frame. French First Empire 1809 model plate for an Old Guard Grenadier bearskin embossed with a crowned imperial eagle looking to the right and clutching Jupiter’s spindle in its talons - emblematic of the power of Jupiter Optimus Maximus (supreme deity of the ancient Roman pantheon) - flanked by two flaming grenades,
The Grenadiers of the Imperial Guard originally wore a brass plaque on their bonnet-á-poils. It was replaced by a similarly shaped The 1809 model, but made of a thicker and redder copper, making it more rigid. A third type of 1811-14 is of similar design but fractionally taller at 166mm.
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The bonnet-á-poils of Old Guard became emblematic of Napoleon’s onetime invincibility, and set the Grenadiers apart from there rest of Grande Armée. When not wearing the bearskin caps, the grenadiers wore a bicorn with orange cords and red carrot-shaped pompon. This, until 21 May 1809 when ‘at 11 in the morning,' recalled Old Guard Grenadier Coignet, 'we were ordered to cross the Danube and to put on our bearskin caps. The Emperor wanted to present his old grumblers to the enemy in their finest dress. It was the end of our bicorns. As we marched on the bridge in three ranks, each hurriedly took out his bearskin cap carried in a bag on top of the knapsack. As we were in a hurry, we threw our bicorns in the river. We never wore bicorns again.'