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Old 13th December 2023, 01:54 PM   #2
Raf
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Thank you for posting some more pictures . Sorry to disappoint but we can say definitively that this is not a sixteenth century helmet . An original would have been made in steel by the repoussé, method of decorating in which parts of the design are raised in relief from the back or the inside of the article by means of hammers and punches; definition and detail added from the front by chasing or engraving. Your hemet is clearly made by a casting process but is in all probability a cast made directly from a sixteen century original . Therefore should be traceable to a museum somewhere

It is likely to be cast iron or steel but if you are not sure check it with a magnet. If its non magnetic then the material will be spelter , a low temperature casting alloy or an electrotype , copper electroplated onto the interior of a conductive mould.

The attached image shows a similar helmet which is a Victorian copy of the original King Henry II of Frances’ parade helmet by Filippo Negroli in 1553. Filippo Negroli (ca. 1510–1579) was an armourer from Milan. It is one of a series authorised by Henry Cole of the South Kensington Museum (later the Victoria and Albert Museum) made by Elkington. A mid nineteenth century British company known for high quality metalwork and the early development of electroplating. Cole drew up the “International Convention for Promoting Universal Reproductions of Works of Art”. Elkington pieces were produced for for exhibition and all were of exceptional quality and produced in extremely limited editions.
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