examples known to the present writer. Their form, especially the skull-piece and general character, call to mind the bascinet helmets of the latter part of the XIVth century. Indeed, for the first ten years of the XVth century their development was so slow that it is quite impossible to assign to them, with any degree of accuracy, a date; with the result that, although we claim the famous and wonderful bascinet preserved in the Arsenal of Venice, and said to have come from Aquilea, as of early XVth century date, it might, without fear of contradiction, be assigned to the end of the XIVth century. Perhaps, with this exception, the bascinet helmets of the second quarter of the XVth century are nearer the fighting helm in construction; for in them the head could be freely turned. As a rule the chin-piece is riveted to the skull-piece, the opening at the neck being of sufficient size to enable the head to be passed through it; and by the arrangement of the plates, which take the place of the camail, the whole weight of the helmet is carried directly on the shoulders. Saint-Remy relates that at the battle of Agincourt the "harnois de teste" of Henry V "estoit un très bel bacinet à bavière."
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(a) (b) (c)
Fig. 300. Skull-piece of a "great" bascinet helmet, early years of XVth century
In the collection of Count Hans Wilczek
(a) Right profile view; (b) Back view; (c) Left profile view, showing the rivet and hinge plate
No definite indication of the very wonderful helmet (Fig. 299, a, b) which we have just mentioned, appears in the old inventories of the Venice arsenal; though in the Inventory of 1611 a head-piece described as "An ancient Helmet and Visor" might possibly be it. Gravembroch also refers to
