Close Helmet early 17th c.
Probably French. Consisting of a skull, bevor, visor and ventail. The skull and visor decorated with flutes radiating from the center of the skull. Two piece skull with flat crest rising to a blunt point at the center. The two parts of the bowl joined with a round roll at the top of the crest (the right side rolled over the left). The roll decorated with fine roping. Bowl with integral neck flare. Edge of the face hole with a narrow finely roped inward turned border and a parallel recessed band. Bevor formed to the chin with an integral flare at the neck en-suite with the bowl. The edge of the neck flares with a finely roped inward turned roll (turned over wire) and a parallel recessed border ensuite with the rolls and border on the bowl. Visor with central ridge continuing the crest from the bowl. Divided eyeslots also divided horizontally with a central roped ridge. Ventail decorated with eye shaped raised bands on both sides, the center recessed and pierced at the top. Overall heavily pitted. Losses to the edges of the neck flares. Ventail cracked at the center and with a repair to the right arm. Hook thta would have secured the ventail lost. Visor lifting peg lost.
Measurements: thickness of skull measured on the right side generally .075-.095 in. One spot seems to measure .105.
The interior of the bevor flare with a label "2009.6.6." This appears to be an old inventory number and it matches the scheme found on several other items obtained from the same source. The collection has not been identified.
The form of the skull - formed in two pieces, fluted decoration and integral neck flare all point to a French origin for the piece. There are some comparable pieces (nicer and in better condition) in the Musee de L'Armee in Paris. The relatively large eye slot is most common in the 17th c. (some French helmets from the late 16th c. share this feature). This seems to be part of a design change where lances and arrows were less of an issue, and bullets were the primary concern.
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This site last updated Mon Jan 12 09:08:25 EST 2026