Munich Town Guard morion, German (c 1600)

Title	Munich Town Guard morion
Nationality	German
Period	c 1600

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This was almost certainly made in Augsburg or Nuremburg, the two main armour manufacturing centres of Bavaria. By tradition, the Munich Town Guard wore these helmets together with a black and white half armour. The fleur de lis emblem commemorates the Virgin Mary. The period of production for these was roughly 1580-1620.

It is made in two halves, a much cheaper process than making the one-piece type.

It is nearly 11 inches tall and has eight of the original brass rosettes (five are missing), together with the plume socket at the rear of the skull. There may be an armourer's mark under the right hand front peak.

The helmet has a coat of thick black gloss paint, in all probability of somewhat later date than the helmet itself as there is clearly a surface of extensive scattered pitting underneath this paint.

The edge of it is rolled toward the underside over iron wire, the traditional method of construction of this era. The ear defences are missing, only a downward facing relic of old buff strap work testifying to their former existence.

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[Militaria : Armour : German : 17th Century]

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