A FINE NORTH ITALIAN CLOSE HELMET WITH ETCHED AND GILT DECORATION, PROBABLY MILANESE, CIRCA 1590

A FINE NORTH ITALIAN CLOSE HELMET WITH ETCHED AND GILT DECORATION, PROBABLY MILANESE, CIRCA 1590 with one-piece skull rising to a moderately high roped medial comb, and visor, upper bevor and bevor attached to it by common pivots with radially-fluted heads (replaced), the visor with strongly-stepped centrally-divided vision-slit, pierced at its right side to receive a missing lifting-peg, the prow-shaped upper bevor pierced at its right side with nine small circular ventilation-holes in rosette-formation and secured to the right of the bevor by a swivel-hook and pierced stud, and three rounded gorget-plates front and rear (the lowest at the front restored), the main edges of the helmet decorated with cabling (a small section missing from the lower front edge of the rear gorget-plates) and its surface etched on a stippled and gilt ground with bands and borders of trophies of arms enclosed by narrower bands of cabling (lightly patinated overall) 38.5cm; 15¼in high

Provenance Sotheby & Co, 4th May 1964, lot 24