The close helmet was a fully enclosing combat helmet worn by knights and men-at-arms in the Late Medieval and Renaissance periods, remaining in use by heavily armoured cuirassiers into the mid-17th century. Developed from the later sallet in the late 15th century, it is often confused with the superficially similar armet, though the two differ in construction: an armet’s cheekpieces hinge outward at the skull, while a close helmet’s visor and bevor pivot together vertically from the same points, opening front to back. This reproduction recreates a German 16th-century pattern, reflecting the continued dominance of German armouring centres such as Augsburg and Nuremberg in European plate armour production through the Renaissance period.
German Close Helmet, 16th Century Pattern
The close helmet was a fully enclosing combat helmet worn by knights and men-at-arms in the Late Medieval and Renaissance periods, remaining in use by heavily armoured cuirassiers into the mid-17th century. This reproduction recreates a specifically German 16th-century pattern, reflecting the continued German preference for fully enclosing helmet forms. German armouring centres such as Augsburg and Nuremberg remained at the forefront of European plate armour production well into the 16th century.
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