2023 Helmet

Discussion: The zischägge is also known as a lobstertail…Harquebusier….or Pot.   The Zischagge has an interesting story. The Europeans copied it from the Turks, who called it a chichak or shishak. For the complete story, see Armor in the Oriental Fashion, pages 267-#15 in my book.

By circa 1600, the heavy lance began to go out of vogue, except for Scotland and Spain. The Germans continued to manufacture cuirassier armor much longer than England and other parts of Europe until circa 1650. The cuirassier was active as early as the English Civil War and in the Thirty Years’ War. By circa 1620, defensive armor changed to the mere armor a harquebusier would wear. The armor consisted of an open-face helmet such as a Zisch; a cuirass was worn over a buff coat (which served the function of a mail shirt) and a bridle (long, left-hand) gauntlet.

Description: Constructed with a two-piece hemispherical skull, at its brow with a flat blunt pointed peak with a pierced hole, and at its nape a flaring, blunt, pointed neck guard of three lames the lowest with a pierced half moon with seven hemispherical rivets forming a circle with a hemispherical rivet in the center, at each side, a shield-shaped cheek piece with hemispherical rivet heads and eight pierced holes with an additional at the center. A sliding nasal bar, which appears original, as does the plumb holder.

Height: approximately 11.5 inches.

Conclusion: A rare opportunity to be this Zischagge’s second permanent owner in 400 years!  This seldom happens in today’s collectors’ market. The vast majority of Zischagge’s you see in the collectors’ market are German. Italian Zischagges are rare and exceptionally well-made. This is a rare opportunity to own a piece of untouched Renaissance military history. ACT-KNOW, a helmet like this should sell quickly!!!*