The Black Country Living Museum has purchased a rare fireman’s helmet from Fellows Auctioneers, in Birmingham. The fireman’s helmet sold for £586.96 (including fees) during Fellows’ Antiques, Silver & Collectables sale on Monday 3rd June. The Black Country Living Museum has acquired the Marsh & Baxter helmet, belonging to the fire service at the renowned Brierley Hill butchers, to include in their 40s-60s town centre as part of their multimillion pound expansion plans. Marsh & Baxter butchers were a hugely popular in the Black Country area for over 100 years. They expanded nationally with over 50 outlets specialising in some of the best pork and sausages on offer throughout the 20th century. Marsh & Baxter had their own fire service, and the rare antique brass helmet is an example of what would have been worn by the service, something previously unknown to the curators at Black Country Living Museum. Work will begin on the Black Country Living Museum’s £23m expansion in the later summer, and will include a 40s-60s town centre. The expansion will include a reconstruction of a Marsh & Baxter butchers shop from the Brierley Hill high street, set in the 1950s. Visitors will be able to learn about rationing, the history of the firm and of food production in the Black Country – and try freshly-made pork pies and faggots. The museum bought the helmet to be included as part of their permanent collection. Marsh & Baxter fireman helmet Marsh & Baxter fireman helmet The brass helmet sold for a hammer price of £460, with the museum being the highest bidder. The auction house’s saleroom was full of antiques enthusiasts as auctioneer Kevin Jackson offered the helmet. The helmet, Lot 575 in the sale, sold for above its £300 - £400 estimate and both Fellows and the Black Country Living Museum were delighted. Kevin Jackson, Auctioneer & Senior Specialist in Antique & Fine Art at Fellows, said: “We are delighted to have sold this helmet which has brilliant West Midlands history. The Marsh & Baxter butchers were an integral part of the Brierley Hill high street throughout the 20th century and it was no surprise to see the helmet sell for a good price. Our doors are always open for valuations at Fellows, in the West Midlands or in London, and we look forward to having more items relating to the local area go under the hammer.” Marsh & Baxter fireman helmets Marsh & Baxter fireman helmets The helmet has a leather chin strap, with Merryweather & Sons maker’s plate to its underside. An historic company, Merryweather & Sons has supplied national fire services since 1692. Furthermore, the brass scuttle shaped helmet has a Marsh & Baxter Brierley Hill face plate, marking it as belonging to the factory’s firemen. Marsh & Baxter opened in 1871, and despite the meat rationing during the Second World War, the firm hit their heights in the 1950s. Unfortunately, the Brierley Hill factory closed in 1978. The helmet is an exciting item with a fantastic local connection and is a perfect addition to complement the Black County Living Museum’s new expansion. Helen Taylor, Collections Manager at the Black Country Living Museum, said: “What a lucky find! We’re delighted to have put in a successful bid for this wonderful helmet thanks to a generous donation from the Friends of the Museum. We had no idea that Marsh Baxter’s had their own fire service and this chance find means that we can now tell this element of the Marsh & Baxter story to future generations. The helmet will now be cared for a part of our permanent collection but we ask that if any member of the public knows anything about how this private fire service operated to please get in touch with the Museum as we’d love to find out more information.”