[Frances Perry]

Hi, on a recent trip to the Royal Armouries in Leeds, I saw this helmet which reminded me of this thread - I believe that this is known as a "Black Sallet", and is 15th century.






Someone has taken a great deal of time to paint the detailed repeating design on this helmet.

[Frances Perry]

P.S. don't want to hijack this thread, but does anyone know if the peirced holes along the sallet edge and visor edge are for decoration, or for a particular purpose?

Thanks.

[Nathan Johnson]

I really like those sallets with rudimentary facial features and I will probably have one made in the near future as well as a black sallet and paint both from some of those photos.
But for now I will practice painting with a GDBF Bellows Visored Sallet I have lying around.

So firstly what kind of Paint should I use, and and second,what would people personally like to see on a helmet?
I'm a reasonably good painter so more complex period designs are fine. and with only limited surviving examples and a cheap helmet period plausible is good enough

also both Myself and the others in my 16thC living history group enjoy wearing kit that non historically minded modern people have difficulty even looking at (making them cringe is half the fun) and this will affect my choice of design somewhat.

If you have any plausibly ideas you can describe please tell me and I will try the one I like best on that spare helmet.

[Adam D. Kent-Isaac]

An Italian armour used for the procession of the Gioco del Ponte:

[Daniel Sullivan]

Hi Frances,

The holes around the edges of this sallet and visor are for the liner. Occasionally you will find holes used for coverings.i.e some barbuta and burgonets.

When I first saw the painted lion sallet in the Wallace Collection, I thought it was a prank!! In the last fifty years I learned there is some pretty strange stuff out there.....

Cheers,
Dan

[Joshua R]

Silly question, a bit off-topic, and I ask more for adding a protective finish to my Albion Count's pommel and cross guard, but... what sort of paints would have been used in period?

[Thomas R.]

Hi everyone,

I have read now several older threads about painted armor and this one seems to me the most promising to be revived. I have recently finished my infantry shield in red and white artwork taken from the Morgan Picture Bible. Now I am thinking about coloring my kettle hat, like seen in the Morgan Bibles illuminations. Well, I haven't made up my mind about this... What do you think? I have seen in the threads many examples of painted sallets and other helmets, several hundred years younger than my average kettle helmet, but no one discussed painting 13. century armor. Would you - or probably already have - paint your kettle hat for reenactment? Or do you despise this idea as being fancy-pansy? If I am going to do it, I will most likely use acrylic paint instead of tempera. Do you have any suggestions?

Regards,
Thomas

[Sander Marechal]

I don't know about historical accuracy, but someone around here does an awesome looking 11th century norman knight with a white-and-blue striped nasal helmet. It looks stunning (and of course, I can't find the thread...)

[Chad Arnow]

[Sander Marechal]

[Thomas R.]

Thanks, Sander!

That helmet looks awesome! It's quite inspirational to see others painting their gear. I'll try this for sure, using red and white. I will test, if the acrylic zinkwhite, I got, has enaught opacity to cover the metal or if I have to use an other sort of white.
Since the helmet is now covered in a protective film of ballistol weapons oil, does someone have any suggestions which oil repellant I should use to remove the oil? (Maybe BP is also interested in this answer )

Have a nice weekend,

Thomas

[Chad Arnow]

[Mark T]

[Michael B.]

After a couple years of putting my soft kit, and armour together, I've decided to start dialing my collection to the turn of the century, 1490-1510. Like Nathan, I'm also looking for any paintings or woodcuts that show possible painted harness from the turn of the of century there. Or, even textile covered or blued (blacked) harness. I'm looking for any type of decoration, and or covering.

Is is a huge leap to assume that armour was painted to match these "Black Sallets"? Or was the helm the only thing decorated garishly to show who the individual is in the plate?

[Arek Przybylok]

Hi. Do you know any sources for painted klappenvisier? I know painted bascinets from 14th century (Alexanderroman Bodleian Library MS. Bodl. 264), but nothing with visor.

[Mart Shearer]

[Mark T]

[Nathan Johnson]

funny you should post that sallet.
Here's my light cavalry harness, with a covered black sallet that was also made by Roman Tereschenko.
(sorry for my poor photography skills the velvet looks messy in my photo but great in person)

I've got to say I'm fairly convinced that's what these holes are for, the placement of some of the holes is a little odd for just a lining alone but with the lining/cover combo it just works so perfectly Id be surprised if they were for any other purpose.

I wonder if the painted ones were originally sold uncovered for the owners to cover or paint, or if they were painted after the covers wore out.

[Mark T]

Hi Nathan,

Fantastic kit! I'm glad to hear Roman made two of these sallets ... he does very good work!

[Mark T]

I just saw that Jeffrey Hildebrant has made a reproduction of the Wallace A82 painted sallet shown earlier: http://www.royaloakarmoury.com/portfolio/a82-painted-sallet/

If you hover next to the image, you'll be able to click through to see other views ... amazing work!