Page:A record of European armour and arms through seven centuries (Volume 2).djvu/75

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but was copied by other nations, notably by the Germans.

Fig. 381. Salade

North Italian, about 1500

Collection: Monsieur L. Carrand. Now in the Bargello Museum, Florence

There is an example of this purely Italian form of the latest shape assumed by the salade in the bequest of M. Louis Carrand to the Bargello Museum, Florence; indeed, of its kind, it is as fine a specimen to illustrate as any with which we are acquainted (Fig. 381). Here is the salade indeed in its most elaborate form; for besides possessing the hinged tail-piece, the reinforced skull-piece, and the full bellows visor, may be noted an added chin-piece which is attached to secondary underlying cheek plates. This chin-piece opens down the front in the manner of those seen upon the close helmets or armets of the XVth century. This is a perfect protective head-piece, and one worthy of the closest study; for apart from the interest it possesses from being the most elaborately constructed example known, its condition leaves nothing to be desired. It has not suffered at all from rust, and is remarkably thick and heavy; while the surface bears a patina of a fine dark blue-black colour.

Fig. 382. Salade

North Italian, about 1500. Armoury of the Knights of St. John, Malta

(No. 439, 1902 Catalogue)

Next we will illustrate a national treasure, a really fine and complete specimen (Fig. 382) of an Italian salade in the armoury of the Knights of St. John at the Palace, Malta (No. 439, 1902 Catalogue). Here the skull-piece has a finely moulded crown-piece finishing in cabling of the Maximilian order, the front portion strengthened by a reinforcing plate. The back of the skull is out-curved to form a neck guard, the whole of the edging being turned under to make it blunted and less marked, as one finds to be the rule in nearly all armour of the XVth century. The visor is of