English Civil War Period Pikeman’s Pot Helmet circa 1635

To enquire about this item
please click here

Price: £2,150

Ref: 62022551

Item Description

An English Civil War Period Pikeman’s Pot Helmet dating to circa 1635. The main role of pike formations in 17th century English armies was to protect musketeers from enemy infantry and cavalry and to advance to gain ground against enemy formations. To achieve this the primary weapon was a 16 foot steel-tipped pike. Pikemen were grouped closely together with pikes held out with both hands to the front. So long as the formation did not break the “hedgehog” defence could hold off attacks by massed enemy horse.

The oval shaped helmet is formed from two hammer forged pieces of iron folded together to create a high medial ridge comb above the skull with a plume holder built into the rear. These two halves are riveted together at the brim front and back. Men stood shoulder to shoulder in pike formations and with both hands occupied in holding the pikes they were vulnerable to projectiles falling down on them. Typically, this helmet has a wide brim to afford more protection against this for the shoulders compared to continental helmets. The brim is folded at the edge of a recessed hem inside which 16 domed rivets have been applied with square washers underneath to secure the folded edge.

Each ear piece is secured to the inside by a single piece of leather held in place by two rivets domed on the outside with square washers peened over the leather attachments on the inside. The rivets sit between two parallel engraved lines which extend around the outside of the skull. The leaf shaped ear pieces are folded over at the edge and  each is pierced with a pattern of five holes. Each ear piece has a leather loop riveted at the end intended for a chin strap.

For further examples see Thom Richardson and Graeme Rimer, “Littlecote – The English Civil War Armoury”, Royal Armouries, 2012, page 125. Also, Keith Dowen, “Arms and Armour of the English Civil Wars”, Royal Armouries, 2019, pages 30 to 38.

The helmet is in good condition with contemporary repairs to both peaks on the inside. The repairs are not unusual in that they reattach the sides of the seams which have separated presumably from carelessness by the owner in continuously throwing the helmet onto a hard floor when undressing. Similar repaired damage is often seen on contemporary armour front and back plates as well as headgear.