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Foot Combat

The Story of a Close Helmet for the Barriers

Foot Combat

The Story of a Close Helmet for the Barriers

A4 Format PDF, 18 pages,
23 colour illustrations, 300 dpi print-quality
Free download
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© Copyright Chris Dobson 2022
Published under the Creative Commons 4.0 Non-Commercial, Non-Derivative Licence:
(CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

Abstract:
The 2007 restoration of an Italian close helmet for the barriers revealed fascinating evidence of a working-lifetime conversion from one helmet into another, a change spanning some 60 years of history and two different cultures. It first uncovered traces of fine decoration that had remained hidden for four centuries, and then recreated the elegant coloured finish that the converted helmet was given for a tournament in the early years of the 17^th century, possibly to celebrate a special occasion.

A close helmet attributed to Kunz Lochner, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

A close helmet for the barriers attributed to the Master of the Castle Mark, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

A helmet for the foot combat at the barriers, made by an anonymous Italian armourer, using an old German helmet skull.

Photos from the article, left to right/top to bottom: attributed to Kunz Lochner, close helmet, Nuremberg 1550, photo: MET; attributed to the Master of the Castle Mark, close helmet for the barriers, Milan, 1600-10, photo: MET; anonymous, close helmet for the barriers, view of the left side of the helmet prior to restoration, photo: © Copyright Chris Dobson.

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