This sallet was made by Plessis Armouries in England.
The form is of a shorter tail (commonly referred to as ‘Italian’ or ‘Italian export’, but also commonly-seen in German-made armour) with a fairly deep body, as in some of the later-period painted sallets.
The sallet features red leather lining one the lower inner section of helmet, as seen in some period artwork.
It also features brass rose rondels at the visor pivots, as well as a decorative (and functional) plume holder at the back. The rose rondels make this perfect, obviously, for War of the Roses re-enactment. However, it would also be appropriate for German/HRE portrayals, as can be seen in the attached images by Hans Holbein the Younger and the Thun Sketchbook. From memory, there’s also a rose motif on a pavise in Carlo’s Royal Armouries book.
I purchased this secondhand, and removed the previous cloth liner and painted the inside of the bowl with rustproof paint. I haven’t installed a new liner, so the helmet comes with a sturdy leather headband, ready for you to easily install your own.
I don’t know the exact thickness of the steel, but it feels bombproof and I think was fabricated for English re-enactment use. However, it doesn’t feel overbuilt and is fine to wear.
The piece has been used for some re-enactment battle use, and shows a couple of great bragging rights marks. The red leather liner has some scuffing and wear commensurate with its history. Overall, the piece is in very good condition, and still has many years of serviceable life left.
The inner circumference at the liner is about 23.75 inches; it fits my 22.25 inch head with room for a thick arming cap, so would fit larger or smaller heads depending on arming cap or liner thickness.
This piece is located in New Zealand, and will ship via NZ Post’s International Courier at cost with full insurance. (The online calculator suggests cost to the US, for example, would be about US$65.)
Price is US$325.
Please don’t hesitate to PM me if you need any more information.
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