Old shako, officer cadet of Saint Cyr, with a plaque in the 1872 pattern.

With the fall of the Second Empire, it became clear that the eagle badge could no longer be used for officer cadets' headgear. A transitional model was therefore adopted, a rather rare design, as it was quickly replaced by the badge we know today, consisting of a grenade above a band marked "École Spéciale Militaire" (Special Military School). The shako is made of heavy cardboard covered in cloth, without interior lining or chin straps, and the plume is not the correct type. Otherwise, it is in good condition.