Moro helmet

[Oliver Pinchot]

The Moro aesthetic is powerful, one which their helmets embody nicely.
This one ended recently on eBay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Philippine-S...p2047675.l2557
What is known about Moro weapons craftsmen? Were there itinerant smiths, comprehensive workshops...? Was there a division between steel forgers and brass workers, wood carvers and so forth?

[Battara]

Interesting and rare helmet! (How did I miss this one? )

Yes there was a division of specialties from steel/blade workers, silver workers, brass workers, wood carvers, etc.

And as far as I know they were not itinerant, but did other things besides working on weapons. Not too different from what I saw for example in Fez, Morocco where there is still a division of specialties and expertise.

[Oliver Pinchot]

I missed it too, Jose.... if a member of the Forum got it, I hope they'll post it.

Interesting that Moro craftsmen produced a range of objects. True in most of North Africa too, as you say. The Ottomans and Persians were a good deal more specialized, in fact they were organized into guilds.

I've been looking at the earflaps-- are they on backward? They don't seem to fit the apertures quite right.

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Oliver Pinchot

The Moro aesthetic is powerful, one which their helmets embody nicely.
This one ended recently on eBay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Philippine-S...p2047675.l2557
What is known about Moro weapons craftsmen? Were there itinerant smiths, comprehensive workshops...? Was there a division between steel forgers and brass workers, wood carvers and so forth?

Oliver, thanks for posting this, there are not many images available of this type of helmet. The seller lost a lot of money by posting it in the "collectibles" category, it should have been listed as antique armor. If it is authentic the buyer got a great deal.

[A Senefelder]

From the pics this looks like a wonderfull example of the classic moro style helmet emulating European burgeonets. The inside pic is a touch fuzzy but from what I can see constructionally it is correct.

I've been looking at the earflaps-- are they on backward? They don't seem to fit the apertures quite right.

I believe they are on correctly. They have the same front/brim side set higher than the back/tail side seen in the European burgeonets which these sought to emulate http://www.myarmoury.com/albums/disp...278&fullsize=1 If you look at the 5th and 6th pictures in the auction you can see the curvature to the shape of the face that has been introduced into the cheek plates, if they were to be reversed the curved side for the contour of the back of the skull would be poking in twords the eyes which would be potentially dangerous. This is my personal opinion only based on the pictures available, looking forward to some one with more background on these Moro armour pieces to share their thoughts on it.

[CharlesS]

The opposite side of the helmet has some unusual damage, almost like puzzle pieces missing from its comb. I wonder how that type of damage could occur...almost looks like thay were punced out. Perhaps these were weaker areas of the forged brass??

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by CharlesS

The opposite side of the helmet has some unusual damage, almost like puzzle pieces missing from its comb. I wonder how that type of damage could occur...almost looks like thay were punced out. Perhaps these were weaker areas of the forged brass??

On the first picture you can see two old repairs at the ridge, maybe there has been a similar repair which break out again!?

[digenis]

Is it just me or does this helmet have a theatrical look to it?

[CharlesS]

This is not the best angle for study, but this is a very similar, if not identical, helmet.

[Oliver Pinchot]

That's excellent, Charles.
The flaps on this helmet look like they're pointing opposite of the ones under discussion, to me. Anybody else seeing that?

I just found a reference to one of these that weighs over 6 lbs., it looks like Sajen's example. Seems like most, if not all, of this type is cast, then.

[CharlesS]

Originally Posted by Oliver Pinchot

That's excellent, Charles.
The flaps on this helmet look like they're pointing opposite of the ones under discussion, to me. Anybody else seeing that?

I just found a reference to one of these that weighs over 6 lbs., it looks like Sajen's example. Seems like most, if not all, of this type is cast, then.

The way the ear flaps are situated now they are almost certainly clanging against the helmet. I wonder if they were removed, switched up incorrectly, or put on backwards at some point?

[spiral]

Both ear flaps from another helmet or later replacements perhaps? {As they would both seem to be slightly oversize not just reversed looking at the fit to the cut recesses?

That's judging from ebay pics.

spiral