SOLD Antique late 16/ Early 17th century Polish Or Hungarian Hussar’s Helmet Szyszak
E785
SOLD Antique,late 16/ Early 17th century.Polish or Hungarian Hussar’s helmet, Szyszak. The hemispherical skull is formed in two pieces of hand forged steel, with visible hammer marks in the interior, joined medially by rivets and decorated with a pattern of sixteen raised ridges radiating from an embossed, slightly convex iron disc with bulbul’s finial, the front fitted with turned peak and sliding nasal-bar retained by a wing-headed screw, the rear with tapered plume holder.
Condition: Showing age and usage, pitted overall, with minor dents, possibly from combat, rusted through holes, back edge of the skull corroded, absence of the neck-guard and cheek-pieces. The screw appears to be a later replacement, and does not hold the nasal-bar well. The exterior of the skull and the peak remains of its blackened finish, since the interior of the skull never had a blackened finish so the color of the rust is reddish instead of black. All of this can be an aspect from an old combat helmet and considering that its age to be of 400 years.
Most hussar helmets which appeared on the marked in the last 10 years are reproductions as well as other 17th to 18th century Polish arms and armour, including swords, maces, helmets, armour, etc.
After the collapse of communism in Poland in 1989, Poland transformed to a western-style economy, many Poles in Poland and in the western world got richer and started to collect antiques, particularly associated with Poland. In these circumstances to cover the demand of collectors for Antique Polish arms and armor, some artisans particularly those in Poland and neighboring Eastern Europe countries, started to make reproductions of historical Polish arms and armour on the base of authentic objects, professionally aged, corroded, and damaged, to look old and authentic. Then they distributed these products throughout Europe and North America where they were presented for sale as authentic Polish antiques, arms, and armour. These items, in many cases, are very well made and aged and look almost as the authentic 17th century Polish arms and armour. From this time the market is flooded by these reproductions of polish antique arms and armour which, prior to this procedure, were considered as the rarest objects, almost impossible to acquire. These reproductions do not have any historical, or investment value.
We were fortunate to acquire this helmet together with other Polish antiques, including antique Polish arms and armour from an old Canadian collection formed prior to the time when this procedure started.
This is an example of an rare authentic antique from the early 17th century Polish hussar helmet, and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.
MEASUREMENTS:
OVERALL LENGTH (from the tip of the peak to the end of the plume holder): 31.8 cm (12.52 inches)
HEIGHT (from the top of the finial to the edge of the skull): 16 cm (6.3 inches)
WEIGHT: 1.126 kg. (2.482 lb)
REFERENCES:
1. Europäische Helme aus der Sammlung des Museums für Deutsche Geschichte by Heinrich Müller / Fritz Kunter. Page 184.Fig 135.
2. Collecting Military Headgear: A Guide to 5000 Years of Helmet History by Robert Attard. Page 70. Please see the pictures of the pages from these references, attached to the listing.
3. Several related Polish hussar helmets from the collection of the Polish Army Museum (Muzeum Wojska Polskiego) in Warsaw are published in the magazine SZTUKA.PL – GAZETA ANTYKWARYCZNA Styczen 2008 (Nr 1; Pages 46,47,48,49). Please see the last two pictures attached to the listing.
A photocopy of the pages from the aforementioned references will be provided along with a certificate of authenticity.
Links to view related helmets online:
https://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/beta/asset/szyszak-husarski/GQFd3mZ8dMhUew?hl=pl
https://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/beta/asset/szyszak-husarski/GQFd3mZ8dMhUew?hl=pl
http://www.husaria.krakow.pl/szyszak_husarski.html
http://zapomniane-historie.cba.pl/husaria-najlepsza-jazda-w-xvii-wieku/