Product description
At the end of the 15th century, the close helmet evolved from the armet and later versions of the sallet. This type of helmet closely resembles the armet and remained a symbol of European aristocracy until the early 17th century. It was worn in state portraits, during tournaments, and on the battlefield by heavily armored cuirassiers armed with rapiers and wheellock pistols. As the practical duties of the aristocracy were increasingly carried out by officials, young nobles could fully devote themselves to tournament riding and hunting. Helmets like these were technological marvels, equipped with multiple visors to protect the face from incoming lance splinters.
Like the armet, the close helmet completely enclosed the head. Although it visually resembled the armet, it opened in a completely different way. Like the armet, the close helmet followed the contours of the head and neck, narrowing at the throat, which required a mechanism to open and close it. Whereas an armet opened sideways via two large hinged cheekpieces, the close helmet opened vertically using an integrated rotating bevor attached at the same pivot points as the visor. The moving parts were usually locked with twist clasps that fell into perforated brackets, or with spring-loaded pins. The bevor was often secured with a strap.
This helmet consists of three main parts. It features a liftable visor that provides an optimal field of vision and can be easily placed on the cuirass.
