Burgonet: HEN.M.88-1933

Maker(s)

Production: Unknown (Possibly)

Entities

• Burgonet

Categories

• Armour

Description

Burgonet, for field use. Formed of a skull with an integral peak and a separate, fixed nasal-bar, a hinged right cheek-piece and a neck-defence of one lame. The rounded skull is formed in two halves joined by a turn to the right along a low medial comb. The narrow peak, which lacks the rivet at its medial overlap, projects forward to an obtuse central point. It is pierced at the rear with a square hole to accommodate the sturdy nasal-bar that projects downwards from the brow of the skull where it is attached by a cross-bar welded within its upper end. The nasal-bar has a convex profile and scrolls forwards at its lower end. The right cheek-piece originally extended all the way up to the eye, but has been cut to produce a U-shaped face-opening at the same time as the nasal-bar was added. The left cheek-piece is missing. It originally overlapped the right cheek-piece medially. A pierced stud riveted at the inner end of the integral neck-defence of the cheek-piece would have been engaged by a swivel-hook riveted at the inner end of the neck-defence of the left cheek-piece. The neck-defence, which has a lower rounded edge, is detached at its right side. The main edges of the helmet have plain inward turns.
The nasal-bar and the cutting of the front edge of the cheek-piece represent working-life modifications.

Notes

History note: The armoury of the Earls of Pembroke, Wilton House, Wiltshire. Fenton & Sons, 11 New Oxford St., London. Mr James Stewart Henderson of 'Abbotsford', Downs Road, St Helen's Park, Hastings, Sussex.

Legal notes

J.S. Henderson Bequest

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1933-03-16) by Henderson, James Stewart

Dating

17th Century, Early#
Production date: circa AD 1620

Note

From a series of such helmets formerly preserved in the armoury of the Earls of Pembroke at Wilton House, Wiltshire. These helmets commonly lack one of their cheek-pieces, which was removed for display purposes. Other helmets from the series can be recorded in the Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds, and Warwick Castle.

The helmet is painted black over a pitted surface.

Possibly Flemish