They kinda look like 1800's Prussian, but I could be mistaken.

I ve check the prussian and they don't have that sash or kepi

It looks very familiar to a Great Britain uniform here's a link http://image0-rubylane.s3.amazonaws.....1036.3L.jpg?12

Responding to my own post, pretty sure the one in front is a British light infantryman, the one in back a British lifeguard (odd but it's what they are called lol)

Looking into this theory. Life guards ]definitely do wear that many ropes and can wear white pan-- er, trousers. The Wikipedia article says they can be distinguished because they strap their helmets "below their lip" as opposed to "below their chin"

Yeah hence why I offered it up, I couldn't make an accurate assessment without the actual footage but from this picture I gave my best guess from the knowledge I have, just struck me as very similar

Infantry , with spurs? The shako hat isn't typically banded with the British, normally a solid color.

The examples I found were all horsemen

And see my coment below; they may be two nationalities

Possible but not probable, they are wearing similar boots with similar spurs and with the pant legs inside the boot likely means cavalry.

Can you post the old news clip?

Legally I can't ! That's why I did that skecth. I could lose my job if I do. Copyright and all that

A reference at least? maybe you can ask in http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/ they should help you out

THat's my problem. We've kust got the clip.

I'd be inclined toward pre-War Austro-Hungarian. Probably wrong.

That's my guess as well. Shako caps were common but banded with a feather was not.

That feather might be our only good indication.

Not just the feather, all armies had similar feathers and caps, even the Japanese so that isn't so good, the banding on the cap though, is not common at all.

Wish Fifine can help me!

You know, that's an interesting idea: looking into asian countries or even African and American. Peru used a hat like that at a point (though not the ropes)

Looks like some of these http://www.diggerhistory.info/image.....erman121-3.jpg

Based on some research I did a while back, I'm going to say the guy on the right is "USA, France, or its allies" (my reference image was colored in 1812)

I'll admit, the problem with this reference is that you're saying the film you have is from a motion picture; this places it firmly after 1830, when the first "spinning drum" motion pictures were invented.

The guy on the left, I'm not sure. I'm tempted to say Russia (based primarily on this) which, given that they seem to be cooperating, places it within the frame of the Franco-Russian Alliance (well within the heyday of silent motion pictures)

Following up on the theory that they may actually be from two countries, "Russia began to partake in British military manoeuvres and extend reciprocal invitations" from 1907 to 1914 (Wikipedia).

The flat-topped cap with the feather was, unfortunately, common at the time, but it does suggest that its user is not British (British footmen have traditionally worn taller hats, and at that time were transitioning to helmets)

Guy on the right is wearing a shako hat that looks Austrian to me. The guy on the left is tough to make out, is that a pith helmet? Is there any context with the film clip? Is this a reenactment or news reel type stuff? Find info on the film itself and it might help.

It's a news reel and they are kneeling in front of somebody.. We don't know who

My buddy happens to be one of the biggest buffs I've seen yet. So if you still need help, let me know.

First of all: Assuming it's European pre-WW1 equipment, It is most likely post-Napoleon era equipment.
Based on Frank Hightowers suggestions, I have little to contribute but this:
When the trousers would be red, it actually would be french uniforms. But without any color reference that's of little use.
The helmet the left guy is wearing seems to be a polished metal helmet with a pretty large "horsehair" top. This implies it's a cuirassier.
Which nations had cuirassiers with polished steel helmets?

Germany in those days retained the multitude of different army uniforms it had from the pre-unification days ( the 1870 unification under military rule through Prussia ). With some 200 states having formed "the germanies", I am way past my historic capabilities, but whilst some german states had cuirassiers with suitable top helmets, I don't recall, and don#t find in TleiLaxu's reference, the proper helmet for the right guy.
However I'd say it'd be worth checking Austria-Hungary equipment of those times, like Walt recommends.

In any case when it's from a real world old video, it's most likely they're both from the same military complex.
In that regard - assuming one from the US and one from Russia - I disagree with Frank, however I must admit that he put a LOT more work into his background references than I ever thought about.

I'm by no means an expert

But I do know there were wars between napoleon and WWI, and it was practice at the time to redesign the uniform after a war (not always by much; in the specific example I was researching, during the war of 1812, the US uniforms had coattails, after the war, they didn't. The French retained tails until WWI, but worked on the number of buttons, for example)

The fact that it was filmed suggests it was something out of the ordinary. I'm guessing a bit of propaganda saying "look how well we're cooperating!"

The film is likely in the public domain by now if the uniforms are contemporary with the film. It's likely on the net somewhere in an archive, possibly in the Pathe library or some such .

It's been bought from an movie archive.

Doesn't mean it isn't in the public domain, depending on the country very few black and white films are still outside the public domain. Those uniforms haven't been used for at least 100 years. Keep in mind the start of WW1 was 100 years ago this July and those uniforms were likely 20 years out of date by then.

I know you are not in the US but if a film was made before 1923 it is definitely in the public domain here and by the look of the uniforms it was made long before 1923. Under fair use, you can crop a small portion of a frame, say of the cap for instance, and ask if anyone recognizes it. Better yet, ask your boss if you can do this, it is a reasonable request. On the other hand, if no one has specified what nationality they are, or cares, just pick one and go to town. Austro-Hungarian or Prussian would a pretty good guess, choose one which looks best and start coloring. If the customer doesn't care, why should you?

they look dutch to me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IrITYgH6XY

They might very well be Dutch Calvary officers but the banding on the shako is a narrow band near the bottom where Austrian is much wider like in the sketch. Military dress uniforms tend to look a lot alike with the sashes, ropes and medals but the hats tend to vary a lot.

yes! the real clues we have is the cuffs the sash and the hats. the boots confirm they are cavalry.

Si tu veux, envoie- moi le document original par email... Ce sera sûrement plus simple pour que je fasse des recherches !

Could they be Freedonian?

As in Marx Brothers

It would help to see the film - This sort of stuff really IS how i spend my time!


Ok - not Prussian (the helmet shape isn't quite right - and the kepi isn't flared out like a Prussian one - otherwise Landwehr cavalry would suit this...) , It isn't Austrian, Italian, Sardinian, British or Japanese... Nor Brazilian... Leading us to Balkan areas,,,,


My best current guess is Kingdom of Rumania, Uniform regulations of 1892 (which stayed pretty much curent for parade purposes up into the 1930's)

I'm going to go out on a limb and say the left hand figure is a member of the Gendamerie zu Pferd in parade dress. (centre row, right)
This has the 'Austrian Knot" style epaulets your rear figure is showing, and the metal helmet with white horsehair fall.
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/OTYxWDE1OTk=/z/3PYAAOxySoJTSoLG/$_35.JPG?set_id=880000500F
http://img324.imageshack.us/img324/.....102519c0re.jpg



The leading figure might be a member of the Frontier guard (who operated with the Gendamerie). But his unpointed cuff seems to say no. But the kepi style is consistent with Rumanian style - the crest is a parade addition.
http://img324.imageshack.us/img324/.....02519c0re.jpg-
Here are the same gentlemen today
http://c.tadst.com/gfx/600x400/roma.....them-day.jpg?1


Alternatively, he might be an officer of the horse artilery
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c.....my1881-956.jpg
For parades, they wore a white kepi tuft.


I'm not happy about those cuffs, though. Rumanian army cuffs seem to have been pointed...

Wow! Great detective work! These cuffs are very particular . You know a bunch about that! Thanks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austro-Hungarian_Army

Take a look at the picure of a 'Hussar of the Honved'

If you still are looking for info on the subject I think I got some info. You shouldlook into italian(rome) uniforms circa 1800 or from the swiss guard from the same year. I saw some uniforms just like that one today

Mystery partially solved! It is footage of the king of Spain Alfonso Xll! It must be a religious ceremony because he kneeled with his officer! Thank you all for your help. I'm done!

https://www.google.ca/search?q=king+alfonso+12&es_sm=122&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=D05YU46SDISWyAS-yoDgAw&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=610#q=king%20spain%20alfonso%2012&tbm=isch&facrc=_&imgdii=VDfNA52PiHGNyM%3A%3Bt9r31owV_fow4M%3BVDfNA52PiHGNyM%3A&imgrc=VDfNA52PiHGNyM%253A%3B2w42OVLXlZsreM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fthumbs4.ebaystatic.com%252Fd%252Fl225%252Fm%252FmrHCv6ylKnzZPHcvqEB4yLA.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.ebay.com%252Fsch%252F%253F%2526_nkw%253DAlfonso%252520XIII%252520of%252520Spain%3B144%3B225

Wait, the answer was in the mustache?

No Somebody takes the time to consult the data on the actual reel!