Close Helmet 1550-70
English or Flemish. One piece bowl with high deeply roped comb sweeping from the skull, with an engraved line delineating the transition. There is a somewhat later hole in the comb that was used to secure a funerary crest. This has been mostly repaired by means of a welded patch. Visor with divided eye slot with a roped step below and pierced for ventilation below that. The top and front points of the visor cracked with later internal patch and an old patch near the pivot on the right side. Ventail sweeping out to a central point with rolled and roped upper border interrupted on the right side by a notch for the lifting peg for the visor. Visor, ventail and bevor pivoted on common (replaced) bolts. Visor with a replaced lifting peg. Ventail and bevor secured by sneck hooks engaging pierced pegs on the right side. The hooks formed with integral wider areas to make them easier to engage with the finger. Two gorget lames front and back, rear two replaced. Lower edge of the neck lames formed with an inward turned roped roll. This helmet survived because it was used as a funerary achievement over a tomb in an English church, and it shows the typical damage from extensive oxidation and a repaired hole in the crest which would have secured the funerary spike used to secure a crest. There are signs of the funerary paint that was applied in the form of foliate scrolls and bands in gold on grey. This is most obvious on the bevor which would have been somewhat defended from damage by its position. With the exception of the modern replacements, the parts of this helmet are most likely not associated (skull, visor, ventail, bevor and possibly front gorget lames). This is a nice example of a typical English or Flemish type of helmet from the mid 16th century. A similar helmet without the divided sight may be found on RA II.64 an armour from the Earls of Pembroke at Wilton House. That armour is very similar in many details to A-1 in this collection, with which it is displayed. Similar helmets are illustrated in Cripps-Day 1922. Many funerary helmets have been much more heavily adapted when they were hung over the tombs. This one has its original overall appearance. Displayed as part of item number A-1.
Measurements: weight 6 pounds 6.6 ounces (2910g).
All thicknesses vary significantly. The skull varies between .055-.10, mostly .06-.08, bevor mostly around .050, ventail around .060, visor around .040.
If you have any questions, please send them to Wade Allen
This site last updated Fri Jul 29 17:34:43 EDT 2022