A Complete Guide to HeraldryFox-Davies, Arthur Charles
History
A Complete Guide to Heraldry
Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles
Heraldry -- Great Britain
Fig. 603 shows a German fluted helmet, of magnificent form and workmanship,
which is partly engraved and gilded. Date 1510-1525. It opens down the
chin, like the early armets, but the tail-piece of the crown is much
broader. The skill shown in the forging of the crown and the fluting of the
twisted comb is most remarkable, and each rivet for the lining-strap of the
cheek-pieces forms the centre of an engraved six-leaved rose. A grooved rim
round the bottom of the helmet fitted closely on a salient rim at the top
of the steel gorget or hause col, so that when placed on its gorget and
closed, it could not be wrenched off, but could yet be moved round freely
in a horizontal direction. The gorget being articulated, the head could
also be raised or lowered a little, but not enough to make this form of
joint very desirable, and a looser kind was soon substituted.
Fig. 604 shows what is perhaps the most perfect type of close helmet. The
comb is much larger than was the custom at an earlier date, and much
resembles those of the morions of this period. The visor is formed of two
separate parts; the upper fits inside the lower, and could be raised to
facilitate seeing without unfixing the lower portion. It is engraved with
arabesques, and is probably Italian. Date 1550-1570. Fig. 605 is an English
helmet, half-way between a close helmet and a "burgonet." It is really a
"casque," with cheek-pieces to meet in front. The crown-piece is joined
down the middle of the comb. This helmet was probably made for the Earl of
Leicester. Date about 1590.
The word "burgonet" first appeared about the beginning of the fifteenth
century, and described a form of helmet like the "celata," and {315} called
by that name in Italy. It was completed by a "buffe," or chin-piece,
similar to the bavier.
[Illustration: FIG. 600.]
[Illustration: FIG. 601.]
[Illustration: FIG. 602.]
[Illustration: FIG. 603.]
[Illustration: FIG. 604.]
[Illustration: FIG. 605.]
During this century the "morion," really an improved "chapelle-de-fer," was
much in use. It had a curved top, surmounted by a comb, and a broad,
turned-up brim, and was often elaborately engraved and gilt. The "cabasset"
was a similar head-piece, but had a peaked top, surmounted by a small spike
turned backwards, and generally a flatter, narrower brim than the morion.
These three forms of helmet were all called casques.
[Illustration: FIG. 606.--"Grid-iron" Helmet (fifteenth century).]
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