1965 Burgonet

Introduction: This burgonet is so well-made that most people who see it in person think it’s a mint condition museum piece that you spent $30K-$40K to acquire!  This is a masterful etched burgonet by German Master Armorer Ernst Schmidt 1870s–1930). He was a prominent German craftsman and dealer based in Munich, Germany, renowned for his highly detailed reproductions of Medieval and Renaissance Arms and Armor. His reproductions are highly collectable and are displayed even in museums today.

The Victorian period in the United Kingdom was from 1837 to 1901;  The Historismus period refers to a similar period in Germany and surrounding countries that was widespread in the 19th century and still partly resonated in the early 20th century.  During the Victorian and Historismus periods, the fad among the mega wealthy was collecting Arms and Armor. Collecting was fashionable, but there weren’t enough authentic period Arms and Armor pieces to satisfy demand, so many exceptional reproductions were made. Many of these pieces were very well made by old-world artisans. Now, after over 100 years, these pieces have aged and, for many collectors, are difficult to distinguish from period pieces.

Discussion: If this were an etched burgonet from 1580 in similar mint condition, you would be paying  $20,000 -$30,000! Instead, it’s priced at a fraction of that. Here are some key facts about German Master Armorer Ernst Schmidt’s work and his legacy , which include:

• Quality and Skill: His reproductions were so expertly executed that they sometimes became part of composite harnesses in major museum collections. Experts today still study his work to distinguish his faithful reproductions from original historical pieces.
• Atelier of Reproductions: Schmidt operated a studio that produced hundreds of meticulously crafted copies of ancient objects, including swords, daggers, and full suits of armor.

• Collector Value: Genuine Schmidt-made armor and weaponry remain highly collectible, with properly marked pieces often commanding prices in the thousands of dollars.
• Museum Contributions: Beyond his commercial work, Schmidt was a patron of the arts; in 1923, he gifted a 17th-century  armorer’s vice to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

An etched burgonet is highly sought out by collectors. In some cases, even more than a close helm. The burgonet is more of an early Renaissance helmet than a Medieval helmet. It looks more like a classical helmet than the direct descendant of the sallet. The burgonet was primarily used by light cavalry and infantry.  Little is known about the burgonet’s development other than it was mutually developed (parallel development) by both Germany and Italy from the sallet. While the Germans preferred the burgonet over the morion, the Italians preferred the morion over the burgonet. In its infancy in France, the burgonet was called “celada borgonona” or ‚Burgundian sallet. In Spain, it was called “salade a la Bourgogne” (the same translation).

The burgonet is a tight-fitting, open-faced helmet with a comb and hemispherical shape, with a visor peak to protect the wearer’s face and a similar curved plate at the back of the neck. Hinged plates are found on some burgonets to protect the wearer‚ cheeks. The cheek defense was introduced circa 1520 and remained a permanent feature throughout the burgonet’s life. Combs, or a decorative ridge from brow to neck, were common. The comb helped reinforce the helmet and provided a space for embellishment on the armor of the wealthy or Noble. The apex of the high-comb burgonet fashion was 1590-1600, the same period as the high-comb morion. Other decorations, like rolled or embellished edges, were also common.

Provenance: From a private 80-year collection that started after WWII. It was acquired from the 65-year-old granddaughter.

Conclusion: If you are looking for a decoration that will catch everybody’s eye when they walk through your front door, yet don’t want to spend a fortune, this is it. An etched burgonet says style, wealth, class, and culture. Rest assured, some will ask if it’s real; most will assume it is. What you tell them is up to you.