Page:A record of European armour and arms through seven centuries (Volume 4).djvu/156



North Italian, early years of the XVIth century. Burges bequest, British Museum

It was part of the original collection, for it is mentioned in the ''Inventario Iluminado, where, amongst other helmets, it is illustrated and noted as an ancient one which came from Flanders (Viejo venido de Flandes''). It must therefore have originally belonged to Philippe le Beau or to his father. It is considered one of the rarities of the Madrid armoury, not only on account of its beautiful workmanship and design, but owing to the fact that, if desired, it could, by adapting for this purpose the additional pieces which are affixed to it by claw hinges, be transformed into a tournament head-*piece. Without these pieces it becomes simply an open helmet for use in war time. The revolving mezeil and the wings are of steel enriched with gold, and with niello work. The other decorations are of gilt bronze. Although this helmet has no armourer's mark, its workmanship and the decoration of the pieces affixed to it are of a marked Italian character: indeed, the capricious elaboration of their enrichment reminds one of those helmets which, at a somewhat later date, were said to have been made from the designs of Leonardo da Vinci and other contemporary artists. The earliest open helmets of the actual casque type which we can mention are of Italian origin, as, for instance, that very early XVIth century helmet in the
 * like helmet which can be seen in the Royal Armoury of Madrid (Fig. 1212).