Hi everyone,
On a faire in Helsinki last june, I met an iron-age bladesmith and noticed this nice viking helmet...

Seems the attachment didn't work...

Jean,

At the risk of people misunderstanding what I am saying , I have to say that that helmet is not very nice and is not very Viking either ! It is a rather poor attempt at a more Vendal type of helmet. The only types of helmet that I can recall with anything like that type of construction are the very early Japanese ' tanko' helmets, minus the mail of course !

Here is a nice copy of said helmet, made by Ivor Lawton of ' Dawn of Time Crafts'. Sorry to have to disagree with you Jean, but you can see the difference.......

http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Gallery/4774/helm07.jpg


Regards as ever,

Russ

Hi Russ,
There is no misunderstanding at all...
Thanks for your opinion and link to a very nice picture. (What is the address of this website ?)
I should have said "interesting" rather than "nice" and I wondered about the historical accuracy of this way of construction. It seems that you answered it, any other opinion ?
Of course it's obviously an amateur's work and not a professional's.
As for calling it Viking I know the only helmet considered as really viking is the one from Gjermundbu.
Jean

hmmm well i dont like it. no offense. its not a good g. helm either. only thing that resembles is the oculars and them not very well. other wise the bands on the skull of the helm are all wrong. plus the brass and rivits blah blah heheehe

also, the mail hangs the wrong way. its done the lazy man way so it hangs down with all the rings open.

Jean,

I am pleased that you did not misunderstand me :)

Here is the website of 'Dawn of Time Crafts'. ( This is an old address, but Google should help out with the current address ).

http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Gallery/4774/


Ivor Lawton is a clever craftsman, as you can see he makes beautiful helmets, but his real strength is his leatherwork. His shoes and boots are truly works of art !


Regards as ever,

Russ

A replica of the Gjermundbu helm by Ivor Lawton of Dawn of Time Crafts. , Mac

[ Linked Image ]
http://www.regia.org/warfare/helmet.htm

why do my posts disapear? do i offend?

I actually commissioned and own the Valsgarde 7 in the photo, Ivor is a first class craftsman and as Russ says his leather work is excellent, I still have a pair of Jorvik shoes he made me and 15 years later they are still going strong with no repairs! I'll post some photos with different views of the helmet as soon as I can.

Mr Huggins,
do you have the contact information for dawn of time ? The links all end up with the information that they were moving to germany, and that seems to be ancient history. I would appreciate the information. Thanks.
JCH

Mr Huggins, very formal Jean, Dave will do ;) I'm sorry I don't have his present contact details and haven't spoken to Ivor for a few years now after we both moved addresses at the same time.