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 ground of their kinship to these enamels we feel justified in attributing those found on Viscount Astor's helmet to the art and workmanship of late XVth century Venice, rather than to Moorish Spain; though the enrichment on the head-piece bears a general resemblance to the decoration found upon the Hispano-Moorish swords of the time of the Spanish Conquest, yet we must bear in mind the Moorish influence on Venetian art at this period. Viscount Astor's salade is one of those recent discoveries that from time to time surprise and delight the collecting world. It was practically unknown up to about fifteen years ago, when it was purchased from a small private collection in the Château de Pérignen, Finhan, France, and afterwards sold to Viscount Astor at a figure far in excess of any price ever paid for an individual piece of plate armour.

Late XVth century. From the armoury of Charles V. D 12, Royal Armoury, Madrid

The next family or group of salade head-pieces which we shall consider are those of the tailed order which we have very vaguely termed "French," to distinguish them from the types already dealt with. We call the class "French" merely because the form appears to have originated in France; but as a matter of fact almost immediately on its introduction the French salade found universal favour, especially in Germany, where the finest examples are