RomanArmyTalk
The Crosby Garrett Helmet book - Printable Version

+- RomanArmyTalk (https://www.romanarmytalk.com/rat)
+-- Forum: Research Arena (https://www.romanarmytalk.com/rat/forumdisplay.php?fid=4)
+--- Forum: References & Reviews (https://www.romanarmytalk.com/rat/forumdisplay.php?fid=13)
+--- Thread: The Crosby Garrett Helmet book (/showthread.php?tid=22478)

Pages: 1 2


The Crosby Garrett Helmet book - mcbishop - 11-11-2013

I have a damaged copy of the Crosby Garrett Helmet book (one folded corner at the back: see piccy) which I will give away FREE (including postage) to the first person to DM me with a request for it.

If you want a copy to review for your publication, also DM me with 'Review' in the subject line and a link to your publication's website.

Everybody else can now buy it from my Amazon merchant account.

Mike Bishop

[attachment=8357]damage.jpg[/attachment]


The Crosby Garrett Helmet book - Ariovistus - 11-11-2013

Looks good. If no one has already gotten it, I am very interested.

Sent you a private message

Thanks,
Sean


The Crosby Garrett Helmet book - mcbishop - 11-11-2013

Quote:Looks good. If no one has already gotten it, I am very interested.
The early bird has got the Roman sports helmet book ;-)

Mike Bishop


The Crosby Garrett Helmet book - Prasutagus - 11-11-2013

Congratulations on your speedy claiming of the book. I can only imagine how excited you must be.


The Crosby Garrett Helmet book - Caballo - 01-18-2014

Went to a lecture/ chat at the British Museum tonight with Richard Hobbs ( one of the curators of the Romano-British galleries) and he said that the helmet had probably been deliberately broken, with the bronze skull piece folded in two. This was news to me- shame that the reconstruction has almost certainly wiped out this evidence.....
The talk was recorded- will post a link when I have it.


The Crosby Garrett Helmet book - richsc - 01-18-2014

Egad on the shipping. Might as well buy several copies.


The Crosby Garrett Helmet book - mcbishop - 01-18-2014

Quote:Went to a lecture/ chat at the British Museum tonight with Richard Hobbs ( one of the curators of the Romano-British galleries) and he said that the helmet had probably been deliberately broken, with the bronze skull piece folded in two. This was news to me- shame that the reconstruction has almost certainly wiped out this evidence.....
Interesting use of the word 'probably' there...

Mike Bishop


The Crosby Garrett Helmet book - mcbishop - 01-18-2014

Quote:Egad on the shipping. Might as well buy several copies.
Pesky Atlantic.

Mike Bishop


The Crosby Garrett Helmet book - Caballo - 01-18-2014

Quote:Went to a lecture/ chat at the British Museum tonight with Richard Hobbs ( one of the curators of the Romano-British galleries) and he said that the helmet had probably been deliberately broken, with the bronze skull piece folded in two. This was news to me- shame that the reconstruction has almost certainly wiped out this evidence.....
Interesting use of the word 'probably' there...
:-)

I got the impression that this breaking of the helmet was certain to be fair. He also said that had the BM had the chance , it would have been displayed in fragments, with a replica made to illustrate how the pieces might have fitted together and also to allow the fragments to be studied in the future (with improved archaeological analytic techniques). He wouldn't be drawn on the Sutton Hoo helmet reconstruction..... As it was, the aim of the re-build was to maximise the auction price- and my goodness, did they achieve that.... Its also going on display in the BM later in 2014.

Separately, the griffin balancing oddly on the crest is made from a different alloy than the rest of the helmet. Why should that be- perhaps taken from an earlier piece and added to this one? Or part of a separate item? I seem to recall that the Ribchester helmet when found had a "sphinx" figure with it - that then went missing.....

PS
Quote:I have a damaged copy of the Crosby Garrett Helmet book (one folded corner at the back: see piccy) which I will give away FREE (including postage) to the first person to DM me with a request for it.
Presumably the lucky new owner of the book will now reconstruct in the way that it might have looked when first made, so that it looked as good as new (or even better) ?


The Crosby Garrett Helmet book - PhilusEstilius - 01-18-2014

I think that the pictures showing this helmet before any restoration very clearly show it had been deliberately folded and all the bits placed inside the face mask.
Then it is also a shame that no one appears to be able to pin down the conservator Darren Bradbury or indeed anyone from Christies to discuss anything at all about this helmet.
I also think that I should repeat my earlier statement about the griffin that sits on top of this helmet.
This other picture of the Crosby Garrett is just about as far as it should have gone when we later read about the reappraisal of the Ribchester hoard and its so called griffin.
[attachment=8738]cg.jpg[/attachment]


The Crosby Garrett Helmet book - mcbishop - 01-18-2014

Quote:I got the impression that this breaking of the helmet was certain to be fair.
'Ritual killing' of artefacts is an over-common explanation, to the point of laziness these days. From the evidence I've seen, (which is the same as everybody else has access to), no point of impact or unusual distortion is visible nor was it reported to be found during conservation. Moreover, if you bury an intact face-mask helmet face-down with a void at its centre, 1,700 years of soil pressure could arguably lead to precisely the same effect: collapse of the bowl and preservation of the mask intact. Taphonomic processes, dear boy, taphonomic processes! ;-)


Quote:Separately, the griffin balancing oddly on the crest is made from a different alloy than the rest of the helmet.
So are crest knobs on other helmets. Cast objects require a higher lead content, which this has. I don't see a problem here. There was a matching solder mark on top of the helmet, apparently, so Occam's Razor suggests there is no need to over-complicate the interpretation.

Mike Bishop


The Crosby Garrett Helmet book - PhilusEstilius - 01-18-2014

I have to say that taphonomic processes or otherwise yes soil pressure could indeed flatten a helmet bowl, however not to the extent that it would neatly fold the bowl like a sheet of paper as was the case for this one.
Where it has been said that the pieces were inside the face mask that was face downward when found the major part of the helmet bowl went very neatly in there.


The Crosby Garrett Helmet book - mcbishop - 05-04-2014

The first print run of The Crosby Garrett Helmet book is now sold out, but I have produced a second impression using Amazon's CreateSpace POD service and that can now be bought direct from Amazon in several countries (including US UK DE FR) and includes free postage for Prime members and even a discount on the cover price for some (not the Brits).

I have vetted the quality carefully and the colour reproduction is quite good for POD, although it is printed on matt paper, not gloss like the original (people always assume glossy paper is more expensive than matt but, weight-for-weight, it is actually the same). Anyway, it means it will remain in print for the foreseeable future.

Mike Bishop


The Crosby Garrett Helmet book - Condottiero Magno - 05-04-2014

Quote:The first print run of The Crosby Garrett Helmet book is now sold out, but I have produced a second impression using Amazon's CreateSpace POD service and that can now be bought direct from Amazon in several countries (including US UK DE FR) and includes free postage for Prime members and even a discount on the cover price for some (not the Brits).

I have vetted the quality carefully and the colour reproduction is quite good for POD, although it is printed on matt paper, not gloss like the original (people always assume glossy paper is more expensive than matt but, weight-for-weight, it is actually the same). Anyway, it means it will remain in print for the foreseeable future.

Mike Bishop
How is the binding on the PoD version? An annoyance with the Osprey PoD versions, despite being priced the same as the original, is the poorer quality binding. AFAIK, PoDs are locally produced, so there might be a variation in quality between the US and UK versions.


The Crosby Garrett Helmet book - mcbishop - 05-04-2014

Quote:How is the binding on the PoD version? An annoyance with the Osprey PoD versions, despite being priced the same as the original, is the poorer quality binding. AFAIK, PoDs are locally produced, so there might be a variation in quality between the US and UK versions.
Binding seems okay to me but I haven't taken one apart yet as I only have a USA proof copy and my UK copies are coming on Tuesday. Once I perform a post mortem I can tell whether they are burst- or perfect-bound (the former is better than the latter as it imitates sewn signatures but is cheaper). There may indeed be local variations but I suspect Amazon will have made sure the specs are as close to identical as possible. Anthony Rowe, who print their UK POD books are one of the most respected producers in the business.

Mike Bishop