Lobster Tail Helmet

[Victrix]

These lobster tail helmets were used over a very wide geographical area at a time of intense armament and conflict. They were derived from the Ottoman cicek helmets which were adopted by the lighter Hungarian (medieval territory encompassing a number of nationalities in those days) hussar cavalry. They were then adopted by the Poles (as seen in their famous heavy winged hussar cavalry). The Austrians and Germans adopted them for use in the 30 year war where they were called Zischägge. Then the Dutch and the English (Civil War) adopted them. It can therefore be difficult to assign them to any particular geographic area when they are of a generic shape without identifying maker or arsenal marks.

The fact that the skull piece is rounded, relatively shallow, and consists of two halves riveted together, suggests that it’s a British helmet rather than continental European or E.European. But it’s difficult to tell with such a generic shape. There were heavier sappers’s versions as well which were probably more munitions quality.

There seems to be some shiny remains of gilding at the seam on the back of the helmet? Also, in terms of general interest I think the Prussian pickelhaube developed out of the zischägge.