Found this interesting piece while browsing the Met's website this morning. I had read through the earlier post where a few links to some painted sallets were posted and thought some of you may want to take a peak at this.

I'm not that familiar with the sallet but I would have to believe this would be for ceremonial use. The weight alone seems to point in that direction. Then again I could be wrong, but 8lbs seems heavy for this style.

Either way, enjoy!

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Sallet in the Shape of a Lion's Head, 1470–80
Italian
Steel, copper-gilt, glass, polychromy
H. 11 3/4 in. (30 cm)
Wt. 8 lb. 4 oz. (3.7 kg)

This example has a fully-formed helmet underneath with bronze or copper added onto it in the form of a lion's head. It's then gilded. It's purely parade or ceremonial in function. I've read that the helmet underneath is a T-shaped celata (sallet), but I don't recall the source offhand. Other decorative types of celata were covered in velvet and gilded ornamentation and called celate da mostra.

think it was in the Met museums book of helmets.

I really do not know very much about this particular helmet, but if I recall correctly, this sallet has two or three lames at the neck. Somewhere at home , packed at the moment for moving , I have a copy of 'Buttetin', the journal of the Met. Museum, from 1964, and this has a line drawing of this helmet minus the pussycat, which I seem to remember shows lames at the neck. I will try and see if I can dig it out and make sure. :)

Regards as ever,

Russ