Grand heaume de joute, Stechhelm, bien réalisé... - Lot 39 - Pierre Bergé & Associés

Grand heaume de joute, Stechhelm, bien réalisé dans le style du XVe siècle, époque XIXe siècle. A tilting Great Helm, Stechhelm, well-constructed in late 15th century style, 19th century. Formed of three parts joined by large domed rivets, some brass-capped and others pewter-capped, the rear plate extending over the upper part of the spine, fitted with a locking-hinge at the base, pierced with rectangular arrangements of lace-holes at the sides and embossed with three chevron ridges towards the top, the frontal plate of heavier construction, extended over the upper part of the chest, drawn out to form a blunt prow, the lower edge of the sight with a robust inward turn, the skull plate embossed with two pairs of flutes radiating from the rear and in continuation of the fluting commencing at the top of the rear plate, pierced with four pairs of lace-holes, slotted for fitting a crest, and the front and the back plates fitted over the shoulders with a pair of staples for straps. H.: 44.5 cm - W.: 35 cm - Wt.: 5900 g. Provenance: Whawell collection. Galerie Fischer, Luzern, December 1, 1965, lot 61 (CHF 4,500). Great Helms of so-called "frog mouth" construction, such as this example, were intended for use in the German tilt "Gestech" or "Stechen", the object of which was to break lances against the opponent and ultimately to throw him off his horse. Examples are famously recorded in the woodcuts of Hans Burgkmair, included in The Triumph of Maximilian, circa 1508-19. Finely drawn woodcuts by Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528) include representations of Stechhelms, notably incorporated as crests in his designs of coats-of-arms. Samuel James Whawell (1857-1926) was a leading London dealer in arms and armour, whose "collection" was sold by Sotheby's, May 3-6, 1927. In his own lifetime Whawell was identified as the source of numerous spurious pieces of armour, the majority of which were manufactured to a very high standard. One such example was the close helmet from the church in C