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War Hat

late 15th century
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 373
Little is known about armor-making in Spain, and the majority of securely identifiable Spanish examples date from the late fifteenth century. War hats of this type, with either round or pointed bowls and deeply sloped brims, are uniquely Spanish and are frequently decorated with applied bands of gilt copper around the base of the bowl and the edge of the brim. This helmet has lost these appliqués, for which only rivet holes (now filled with modern copper rivets) remain. Struck three times on the right side at the back is an armorer's mark: a crowned letter. The front of the bowl is filled with a brow plate covered on its outer face with red textile, possibly part of the original lining.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: War Hat
  • Date: late 15th century
  • Culture: Spanish
  • Medium: Steel, brass
  • Dimensions: H. 9 3/4 in. (24.8 cm); W. 10 1/16 in. (25.6 cm); D. 13 in. (33 cm); Wt. 3 lb. 12 oz. (1697 g)
  • Classification: Helmets
  • Credit Line: Bashford Dean Memorial Collection, Bequest of Bashford Dean, 1928
  • Object Number: 29.150.9a
  • Curatorial Department: Arms and Armor

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