Churburg Bascinet

Description of the Product

Churburg Castle, built in 1253, is one of South Tyrol’s best-preserved castles, and particularly well known for its armoury, which contains 50 fully preserved suits of armour, all made for members of the Matsch family (from 1541 the Trapp family). This dynastic collection is of incomparable artistic and historic value. The collection is famous, among other treasures, for one of the oldest surviving transitional plate armours, the #13, as well as other gems of Milanese origin.

The bascinet dates to 1360-1370, and thanks to its sharp houndskull visor it is one of the most iconic and recognizable helmet types from the middle ages. The shape of the visor is aesthetically pleasing, but the shape derives from pure functionality: it was the best way to stop a rain of arrows and glance them to the side.

Although the helmet is of exquisite workmanship, it is also an excellent example of the problems the masters faced with heat-treatment. When studied, it was revealed that the quenching had not been fully successful. In fact of all studied pre-1510 north-Italian armours only 1/3 had been successfully hardened. Given that this region and timeperiod is at the height of plate armour manufacturing, it is clear how difficult process it really was to master.

Our Churburg bascinet is of the type that was most popular during the late 1300’s, and is a simplified version of the most famous one in Churburg castle. The visor can be removed easily, as it is attached with pins. A visor like this might have been worn only for the cavalry charge against oncoming arrow barrage, and then removed for close combat where vision and breathing were more important. As is customary, the visor has breaths only on the right side, as the left side had to be more reinforced since it was the side most blows would come from. The mouth slot on the bottom of the visor both helps air circulation and helps seeing the ground during battle. If you wish to use the helmet with an aventail, as in the one in Churburg castle, the vervelles have already been attached for easy attachment.

The original Churburg #13 pieces have brass borders with a biblical quote “Iesus autem transiens per medium illorum ibat”. “But Jesus passing through their midst went His way." During the middle ages this was a popular text worn as a charm against danger, especially war. Our reproduction is a simplification of the original, and the charms have been omitted, so if you want a little super-natural help to augmet your armour and fighting skills, just add your own charms and spells.

The bascinet is made of 2 mm steel and has a leather chin strap and liner inside the helmet. Helmet circumference c.63-64 cm.

Steel thickness may vary due to the handcrafted methods used in manufacturing. Made by Marshall Historical.