December 6-8, 2023 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/7/2023
Produced circa last quarter of the 19th century, when electrotyping became a way for people to acquire almost perfect copies of exceptional pieces of arms and armor, with companies such as Elkington and Co. and Christofle and Compagnie manufacturing them and offering them for sale to both collectors and museums. This helmet is a copy of Henry II's embossed helm made and decorated with Roman motifs, including depictions of Julius Caesar, Pompeius Magnus, and various mythological figures, as designed by Delaune. High comb embossed with further Roman motifs. Gorget of 2 lames is decorated with flowing florals with "932" visible on inside of gorget. Accompanied by a letter from the Louvre, dated November 9th, 1956, from Hubert Landais, telling the writer that exact dating of the piece was not possible and referring him to Grancsay's article on Henry's armory in the Louvre; a brochure for the Louvre with the iconic Victory of Samothrace on the cover; a copy of the Met bulletin dated October, 1952, with Grancasy's article. CONDITION: Very good, cleaned to an in-the-white appearance, with traces of patination in deepest recesses. Some light pitting and softening throughout from cleaning, but scenes are still very defined. Visor lift replaced. This is a very presentable example, and 19th-century electrotypes are highly collectible as the original armors virtually never surface on the private market.
Paperwork
Information from Met and Louvre