Reconstructing a 6th c. Baldenheim spangenhelm

[Peroni]

It took a few moths to make this

It's made with moths? Damn! If I knew you were using small helpless creatures for your reconstruction......

[Virilis]

It took a few moths to make this

It's made with moths? Damn! If I knew you were using small helpless creatures for your reconstruction......

RUHAHAHHAH!!!! :twisted:

[Marcus Mummius]

It took a few moths to make this

It's made with moths? Damn! If I knew you were using small helpless creatures for your reconstruction......

Yes, they can get quite good at smithing, provided they get the right training:lol:

I corrected the typo :lol: :lol:

[Theodosius the Great]

Wow, I had no idea you yourself were making it, Marcus.

Laudes !

I would be interested to see how you chiseled the patterns on the brass frames since I would have to do this myself.. :wink:

Just curious...did you get the knob from a lamp ? I hear that this piece is difficult to make from scratch so armorers just take knobs from lamp posts.

~Theo

[Marcus Mummius]

Just curious...did you get the knob from a lamp ? I hear that this piece is difficult to make from scratch so armorers just take knobs from lamp posts.

Hi Theo. I made that piece too. Making this helmet was one of my assignments for Conservation and Restauration (I'm studying this, now I've finished my studies in Archaelogy). The aim was to familiarise ourselves with as much metalworking techniques as possible.

The crestknob was made on a metal lathe (I hope this is the correct word). It was quite difficult and one of the things I liked the less lol:

Vale,

[LVCIVS VVLPES]

Jef, Beautiful craftsmanship, Laudes

Cheers

Luc

[Titvs Statilivs Castvs]

Cool, what an honour. shock:

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

It took a few moths to make this

It's made with moths? Damn! If I knew you were using small helpless creatures for your reconstruction......

Yes, they can get quite good at smithing, provided they get the right training:lol:

I corrected the typo :lol: :lol:

All Hail Jef, Imperator Mothius Maximus!!

[Marcus Mummius]

Cool, what an honour. shock:

Well, a lot of it is trial and error. But learning to work a metal lathe for example I was thaught at my restauration classes. There are quite a few jewelers and silversmiths working overthere. And a tremendous experience was being able to watch Gotscha Lagidse, a Georgian armourer, work and be guided by him during three days.

You can see some of the FANTASTIC stuff he has made here on his website:
http://www.gotscha.nl/uk-armour.htm

The only problem with his stuff is that it's much better made than the originals. His replica of a Baldenheim helmet (completely gilded) costed 7000euro. It's the nicest I've ever seen, but the originals weren't nearly as symetric and speckless made as his replica.

Vale,
Jef

[Franklin]

The only problem with his stuff is that it's much better made than the originals...the originals weren't nearly as symetric and speckless made as his replica.

Vale,
Jef

I've considered this before as well. But I just can't bring myself to purposely make inferior crafts!

[Marcus Mummius]

The only problem with his stuff is that it's much better made than the originals...the originals weren't nearly as symetric and speckless made as his replica.

Vale,
Jef

I've considered this before as well. But I just can't bring myself to purposely make inferior crafts!

Yes, it's very difficult. But it's not that the originals were inferior. They were strong and beautiful, but not symetrical. With the Baldenheim helmets most rivetholes are scattered all over the place, they never seem to have measured anything. This you can do too when making a replica.

I had so much classes last year (about 45hours a week) that the work on the helmet had often to be rushed, meaning no time to measure etc... So I often got nicely close to the originals. This means a lot of details are very organic and messy, but the total packet looks okay.

Vale,

[Titvs Statilivs Castvs]

This is a helmet of the 6th century? But Legio XI is about the first, or are you doing other periods as well? Or you made it just for fun?

[Marcus Mummius]

This is a helmet of the 6th century? But Legio XI is about the first, or are you doing other periods as well? Or you made it just for fun?

Yes it's a 6th century helmet.

Like I said, this was an assignment at university. I did not get to choose the subject, but I didn't complain because I had to make a helmet :lol:

Legio XI is a multi period group. We have some people doing many different periods. We also have a member doing 3rd century full time. We plan to show a living time line at events next year to show the evolution of the Roman soldier to the public.
Our drill exercises are in 1st century AD kit though, as almost all of our members have a kit from this period.

Vale,

[Titvs Statilivs Castvs]

Like I said, this was an assignment at university.

Oh, sorry, must have read over it.

[Theodosius the Great]

At long last, here's my new helmet :

Photo 1

Photo 2

Photo 3

Photo 4

Photo 5

I based it on this original helmet from Ravenna :
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/images/h2/h2_42.50.1.jpg

It's still a work in progress. I plan to etch the brass frame with decorative patterns. Also, I may need to replace the top brass disc with a flat one. Maybe there are cone-shaped original examples but I'm unaware of any at the moment. Finally, I may replace all the rivets with domed versions like the original helmet.

The knob on top has a hole drilled into it so that a horse hair tail may be mounted (I forgot to reattach the tail for the photos).

Total cost was $300 (USD) but the armorer is raising his price to $425, I think.

The helmet is fairly heavy. I wonder how I should pad the inside since it's so deep. There's no leather suspension system as the Berkasavo helmet uses, so it's just bare.

~Theo