I'm looking for a germanic Spangenhelm as well as for a replica of the famous Sutton Hoo helm. There a quite a few replicas available, but they all look rather cheap and crappy. Same problem in finding a decent Spangenhelm. Has anybody a suggestion for me? Where can I find a decent helm (without a 3 year waiting list)?

Kind regards from Cologne
Andy

Getting a good Sutton Hoo replica without a long waiotinglist might be problematic - I know of only a few makers who can do one that one reasonably well and they all probably have long waitinglists. With spangenhelm it might be somewhat simplier though - those, while complicated enough to make are still considerably simplier than Sutton hoo.

Thanks for the quick reply. Could you perhaps name me a few of the good makers? I would, of course, rather wait than buy something that looks crappy.

Tim Noyce at herron armoury makes nice helms.

http://heronarmoury.co.uk/index.php

and if you want somthing very special thorkil makes very nice helms.

http://www.thorkil.pl/

the guys at EALDFAEDER have some good examples.

hope this helps.



Rich

Dave Roper (www.thehoard.co.uk)

Cheers,
Hadrian

EDIT: apparently that is no longer his website...

for the spangen try Kevin at Plessis Armouries in the UK, he made me a very nice one.

Have a look at http://www.todsstuff.co.uk/todmedia/pages/tm_...uardrm.htm

Not a plug for me although it is on my site; it was supplied by me for a client, but made by Kevin

Tod

Leo, I think he meant a spangenhelm like the ones menthioned in this thread:
http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=5623

For high quality Spangenhelms you have two armourers that I know of. First, the Georgian Gotscha Lagidse, who lives in the Netherlands. He is a top armourer, the very, very best in the business. I do not know about his waiting list, but he asks 7000€ for his Morken replica. Not a typo, 7000. :wtf: http://www.gotscha.nl/uk-startpage.htm

You also have Reinhold Wagner. I do not know if he sells his craft or just makes them for himself/friends. You lose nothing by asking him. http://www.drachengold.at/uebersicht.htm

Then if your budget is more limited you have http://www.die-ritterschmiede.de/. Certainly not as fancy as those above, but good enough for re-enactment (I got one from him).


As a quality Sutton Hoo helm goes, things are more difficult. Hanwei used to make a nice one (fake garnets and leather, though, also the cheekplates were not as curved as the original's.) However they have discontinued it. I asked a couple of months ago about it and they told me that they do not plan about producing it again.

Then of course you have Thorkil, you probably meant about him when you said you did not want to wait for three years. He is not cheap either. Quality has a price. http://www.thorkil.pl/main.htm

Finally, I think Ivor Lawton no longer makes helmets.

Thanks a lot for your help!!!