Napoleonic Braces/Bretelles

After the small controversy caused by the new Perry artillery men portrayed wearing braces a couple of month's back and the various 'do they, don't they' arguments around the net that followed, it's funny how believing having never seen a picture of Napoleonic braces you suddenly start seeing them everywhere.

Here are two from my collection that I had obviously seen before but was unaware of.

The first is from the book "Infanterie et Regiments Etrangers" one of the "Splendeur des Uniformes De Napoleon" series, p27 Planche 4 bis - Infanterie de Ligne. The culottes are labelled as 1804 to 1815 and it is remarked that the bretelles are the same for the "long pantalon de toile blanche" and the "pantalon de drap bleu".

The second unfortunately I am not sure of the source, an image I pulled from the web at some point in the past of a hussar uniform.

I also note from an article 'Uniform of the Grenadiers-á-Pied de la Garde: 1810-1815' by Paul Dawson at the Napoleon-Series 'Both trousers would have buttons on the outside at the waist for the bretelles'.

Ok they are neither contemporary or original sources themselves but the point is without any fuss someone has copied these in from an original source long before it became a hot topic, and which makes the point they are not just a Perry invention.

So maybe they've just been hiding in plain site so to speak.

Culottes - Infanterie de Ligne

Hussar Trousers