The Armour Archive

I am experimenting with creating some foil plaques such as were used as decoration on some of the extant Migration Era (?) helms like the Sutton Hoo helm. Of course, such foils are somewhat delicate---yet I understand that they can be made more durable by filling the back with some substance like lead or even wax or pitch. Was such a thing done in period?

I use to have books that might have had such info, but I no longer own them. I looked online but a quick search did not turn up anything useful. If any of you are knowledgable and can offer me some insight on this, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Cheers,
Tim

The Coppergate helm does not have gold foil decoration--Check Dominic Tweddle's book, "The Anglian Helm from Coppergate." There is gold decoration on the helm, but it is not like the Sutton Hoo Helm.

The gold foil "pressbleche" decorations on the Sutton Hoo helm are more akin to the helms found at Vendel, Valsgarde, and Oland. RLS Bruce-Mitford's book on Sutton Hoo, Volume Two is a good place to start. Also look at the book "Vendel Period Studies," a collection of various articles from a conference.

Also look in the Periodicals "Fornvannen" and "The Acta Archaeolgicia."

Mord.

Are you looking for something to stand up to SCA fighting? Raymond's Quiet Press produces castings of some of the foils from Sutton Hoo, Vendel, and Valsgarde. They're sturdy, but thick and heavy. I believe etching might produce viable (durable) results from thinner material - I'm going to try it for my next helm.

I was just taking a stab at the Coppergare Helm having some---I couldn't remember. Thanks for the leads

I want to make them the real way as opposed to casting or etching. And I believe that if they were lead or pot-metal filled on the back they would be reasonably sturdy. I am thinking of them for belt or pouch decorations more than for use on helmets, so the wear and tear wouldn't be quite as bad.

Tim

Timothy

I have seen no evidence to suggest they were filled in with another substance though I have often thought that would be an interesting idea when used for SCA combat helm purposes.

That said, I recently had one of the foils (made authentically) shipped to me from Britain.

It arrived unscathed via the post (in an unpadded envelope with two articles) from overseas so perhaps they are sturdier than we give them credit for;)

Halv