Europe, Italy, Victorian era, ca. 19th century CE. A fabulous matched steel cuirass and cabasset helmet created in the Victorian era as a copy of 16th century Renaissance-style armor. The cabasset helmet has a traditional dome-shaped form with a pointed top. It displays several panels of acid-etched foliate patterns, with a royal guard in profile on either side within ovoid frames, fourteen brass rivets, and a rope-pattern border along the narrow brim. The matching cuirass is formed from a single steel plate and displays similar foliate patterns across the central crest and peripheries, all against a black ground. Similar brass rivets line the arm and neck borders, with rope patterns embellishing the exterior edges and thin grooves terminating in a loose spiral near the upper chest. Both pieces of armor have at least two perforated holes for suspension or for attaching other aesthetic elements. A wonderful example of Victorian-era Renaissance revival armor! Size (cuirass): 15" W x 19.25" H (38.1 cm x 48.9 cm); size (helmet): 9.125" W x 8.5" H (23.2 cm x 21.6 cm).

For a similar example of a 16th century Italian cabasset, please see The Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 29.158.21: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/34268

For a similar example of a 16th century Italian cuirass, please see The Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 14.25.800, .801: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/22179

Provenance: private Los Angeles County, California, USA collection

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#135938

Both items have surface wear and abrasions commensurate with age as expected, tarnishing across most surfaces, and scattered areas of light oxidation. Helmet has some fading to etched details and minor roughness across exterior. Cuirass has some light encrustations on verso, fading to etched designs, and slight bending to overall form. Light earthen deposits throughout.