The sallet-and-bevor combination was one of the signature silhouettes of 15th-century German armour: the sallet’s deep, pointed tail protected the back of the head and neck, while the bevor closed the front, together leaving only a narrow slit for vision and breathing. As helmet design evolved into the close helm and burgonet, the bevor itself evolved into a hinged plate and eventually the articulated falling buffe of the 16th century, but the original Gothic bevor remained tied specifically to the sallet. This reproduction recreates that historical pairing, offering face and neck protection that bridges the gap between helmet and cuirass.
Gothic Bevor
The bevor was a piece of plate armour protecting the chin and throat, filling the gap between helmet and breastplate that a gorget alone did not always cover. Originally worn with the sallet helmet, a defining pairing of the German Gothic style, the bevor’s name comes from the Old French baver, “to dribble” — a wry reference to its position over the lower face. This reproduction follows that classic sallet-and-bevor combination, finished in keeping with the wider fluted Gothic aesthetic.
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