Lobster tailed helmet circa 1640

[fernando]

Expanding on Victrix post #8, if i may, the letter M (or W) being similar to the initially introduced letter L, would in principle indicate a German origin for these helmets. I wouldn't know how Cromwell equipped his cavalry but he might as well have imported some of these for his Civil War struggle ... or would have been the Royal forces; thus its showing up in England.
As previously discussed in other threads, i would say more than once, this type of lettering, as well as marks like punched dots or filed lines, are among those applied in mass production workshops to assemble the different parts; or any other sign or meaning that not smiths signatures. Not wishing to switch on the complicometer, we may recall an article by master armourer Chris Dobson in that he classifies 'marks' as been those of Forging, Constructional, Batch, Signatures, Workshop, View, Arsenal and Size.
And by the way, the letter M (or L) does not only appear in nasals but also on the front cap, as in Adrian's example. And do i see it punched in both those places in Thomas helmet ?.

I wish Dirk came in on this one, so that we hear what he says about it.


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