Sallet
ca. 1480
Medium
Steel, leather, textile (linen, cotton)
Dimensions
H. 9 1/2 in. (24.1 cm); W. 9 in. (22.9 cm); D. 14 7/8 in. (37.8 cm); Wt. 6 lb. 8 oz. (2948 g)
Classification
Helmets
Culture
Austrian, Mühlau
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Stephen V. Grancsay, 1942
Accession Number
42.50.32
Art Historical Context
Step into the world of late medieval warfare with this exquisite *Sallet*, crafted around 1480 by the Austrian armorer Caspar R from Mühlau, near Innsbruck. This steel helmet, lined with leather and textiles like linen and cotton for comfort, exemplifies the pinnacle of 15th-century arms craftsmanship. Measuring just 9½ inches high and weighing a substantial 6 pounds 8, it was designed for mobility on the battlefield, its sleek, rounded shape deflecting blows while the extended tail protected the neck. Sallet helmets like this one rose to prominence in the Late Gothic period, favored by infan...