Page:A record of European armour and arms through seven centuries (Volume 2).djvu/121

 *ties of workmanship employed in this head-piece is rather noteworthy. The arrangement for securing the lining is precisely the same as is to be found on the de Cosson helmet. The armourer's mark upon it is a hand with the first and second fingers extended, and the thumb and remaining fingers closed. The visor is lost; but the rivets and staple fastening by which it was attached are in position. This fine head-piece is scheduled, like other armour in the Rotunda, as coming from the Isle of Rhodes.

Italian, first half of XVth century. The cheek-pieces are restorations

Collection: Sir Farnham Burke, K.C.V.O.

(a) Profile view     (b) Front view

In our endeavour to form an opinion as to which of these interesting armets was the earliest, we must look critically at the slight variations in their construction, and try to determine what was most likely to have been evolved from the type of helmet that was in vogue in the years immediately preceding. It can be taken for granted that the chief variations in these very early armets are traceable to the formation of the visor, to the method of producing the ocularia, and to the reinforcing piece on the fore part of the skull. Authorities have generally taken it for granted that the short, thick visor which fell low enough to form a space to look through between its upper edge and the lower edge of the skull-piece, was the earliest form, owing to its very simplicity. But we are inclined to believe that we have not looked far enough ahead, and that we must take into consideration the reinforcing piece on the forehead, which is nearly always present on these earliest