Is this helmet real?

[Sextus Saturninus]

I saw this helmet and I thought immediately that it was fake because it has a riveted on neckguard. I remember learning that Roman helmets were raised from one piece including neckguard always. Am I wrong? Is this a real helmet and were the neckguards riveted on sometimes, or is this just a fake?

Thanks for your replies in advance. Here is the helmet:

[Robert]

Hi Jason,

Yes, this helmet has a LOT of issues, but without any provinance, it is difficult to dismiss a helmet as a fake out of hand. It may be a crudely produced local item. The whole thing does look badly made, strange placing of things like rivits, shape of the earpieces is out of whack, the brass trimming is very, very sloppy etcetera. More like some old stageprop then an actual Roman helmet.

[Flavivs Aetivs]

IMO it's an obvious fake. The pattern of Corrosion suggests it too, like it had been dipped in a chemical bath.

[Sextus Saturninus]

Thank you guys. I suspected it was fake but I was not sure, so I asked. It looked really crude on standards of Roman metalwork and it looked really odd - rivets in wrong places, etc.

So I was right in thinking that it looks very weird and is probably not Roman. I just wanted to ask before I dismissed it as a fake. Thanks for your replies

[Youngster]

I have a picture of that same helmet saved, though it is taken from a different angle. My tags say that it was in the Merrin collection, at least at one time. I'm not sure if it really was, but apparently I had reason believe that at one time. Maybe you could email Merrin? I have no idea whether they are at all reputable, but maybe they can help.

http://merringallery.com/contact.html