Sallet

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The proportions of this helmet are notable, as it is taller than most examples and extends almost to the shoulders. The rivet holes encircling the center of the bowl originally served as an attachment for the lining, with a pair of holes below on each side for the Y-shaped chin straps. Additional holes around the edge, one of them filled with a copper rivet, indicate that this example was once covered with textile and fitted with gilt-copper mounts in the Venetian style (for another example in the Metropolitan Museum's collection, see acc. no. 29.158.17), fittings that probably were added later in the helmet's working life. The bowl is stamped on the left side near the back with Milanese-style armorers' marks: two letters (IO?) beneath a crown and below, struck twice, two letters (AO?) beneath a double-armed cross.

Arms and Armor

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The principal goals of the Arms and Armor Department are to collect, preserve, research, publish, and exhibit distinguished examples representing the art of the armorer, swordsmith, and gunmaker. Arms and armor have been a vital part of virtually all cultures for thousands of years, pivotal not only in conquest and defense, but also in court pageantry and ceremonial events. Throughout time the best armor and weapons have represented the highest artistic and technical capabilities of the society and period in which they were made, forming a unique aspect of both art history and material culture.

Metropolitan Museum of Art