The Armour Archive

Took another visit to your website today, and was looking at the two pictures of you looking coo' in your man-at-arms personae. Looking closely at the picture on the left (the one taken inside the museum), I am struck by the shape of the helmet. In my quest to learn more, I have a couple questions on it....

1) I can't see clearly enough to make it out - is the chin piece split for removal? It is an armet correct?

2) There are no pictures of you with your visor down. I'd be interested in seeing any pictures you might have in this case to get a feel for the shape of it. If you have any and could email me, that would be greatly appreciated!

3) I notice that while the armet is appropriately narrow about the neck, it is significantly wider at temple level than I realized. Assuming this is accurate (and I have very little reason to think it isn't), was this necessitated by the padding or harness underneath, for some other reason, or was it merely a stylistic feature? It's practically lightbulb-shaped from the front. I was under the impression that these types of helms were traditionally closer to the wearer along the sides, or would that be more appropriate for a 16th C piece? Not that either are necessarily accurate, the armets produced by Bob McPherson and Robert Valentine (as can be seen on their websites) for their own renditions of the Warwick effigy appear to be much more cylindrical in nature, without the drastic change in width. Thoughts?

4) Who constructed that particular helm?

p.s. Why aren't you smiling in that picture? God knows when I get into plate harness I can't stop!

Thanks,

Im not Chef but ill field a few of the questions.
It is an armet, it splits at the chin, the cheek pieces hinge upward.
It was made by Jeff Hedgcock of historic enterprises.
I believe there are pics of it on Jeffs site

Thanks. I was pretty sure Jeff made it, but you never know....

Hi Ryan,

Adam hit how it comes apart correctly. There is a pin on the right cheek, and a hole in the overlap on the left. The jugulars themselves act as a spring when it goes together.

I have pictures with the visor down, but I don't have any good ones up. It is very much the same general shape as Curatone B2,5,6, (the last being even more light-bulby). The helmet fits me perfectly - the armour has to be shaped to fit close to the individual wearer of course, I happen to have a rounder head I inherited from the Celtic side of my moms family, hence my helmet isn't so straight sided as some. Jeff Johnson has a nice narrow head, so his is more straight sided. Mine looks nearly identical to Curatone B3 with the visor down, and you can see it from front three quarter and above on the Historic Enterprises sight.

I generaly wear my armet visor up, as that is the way they were worn unless being subjected to projectile weapon fire, or the impact of a cavalry charge. Thats why there is a mucking big lifting peg, or a hole for missing same on every extent armet, so you could fling the thing open ASAP. You will notice there are no breaths on 15th century examples until post 1490, and there are also no hooks and staples to lock them down until breaths become commonplace.

Of the reproductions you have mentioned, Mac's and Jeffs are closest to dead on reproductions, if you study armets there are some significant problems with the VA examples posted on their website.

I guess I wasn't smiling because it wasn't a novelty for me. I've worn my harness extensively. Also,nothing looks more posed than a big smile. We have been trying to collect casual pictures more on the order of what is seen in "The Medieval Soldier"

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Bob R.

Whatever stirs your pot, big man. I looked through my pictures and I realized the more recent ones I'm either sweating or grunting and grimacing. Not alot of smiling going on with me either, I guess.

How do you find it restricts your visibility and turning of the head/neck? I'm trying to get an idea of what it will be like when I get mine sometime next month.

Thanks again,
Ryan

What is the URL for the site?

Eric

Site (look under Portrayals):

http://www.wolfeargent.com/

Picture in question:

<img src=http://www.wolfeargent.com/images2000/bobfullarm.gif>



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Ryan King

"Not the Victory, but the Action. Not the Goal, but the Game. In the Deed, the Glory." - Hartley Buff Alexander, 1897