Random chosen pictures of the Oriental beauties

tom hyle · 2nd May 2005, 02:01 PM

No commentary on the mail? High quality mail is rivetted or welded. The links are often of flat or rectangular section; I'm not sure why, other than to facilitate rivetting (sometimes only the ends of the links are flattened). Interesting in combination with the lavishness of the decorative work; the low quality often noted on things meant for show rather than use? These mail coifs are of often questioned usefulness and are often spoken of as decorative, but many I've seen are of proper battle mail, and while it won't save your skull from cracking, it's still of some help....

wolviex · 2nd May 2005, 08:39 PM

Tom: you are absolutely right about mail used in the helmet from the 16 & 17 pictures. The rings, which are joining the rest of the mail with the helmet, aren't original. Take a closer look at it, and you will see, that other rings are just as they should be, and they are much different from these above them. I don't know the story, but most probably is, this part of mailing was destroyed, and someone (I suppose just after the II WW) made a quick repair. It should be done better, but the time was very hard in Poland in those days, and many repairings and restorations were made cursorily. If you take a very close look you will probably see that they aren't attached properly.

It's a shame I still don't have a book "Uzbrojenie Tatarów" (Tartars armament) by Mr. Gutowski, so I can't be sure, but if my memory serves me well, it is described as Tartar's helmet from the 19th century...as far as I remember.

Regards!

tom hyle · 2nd May 2005, 10:10 PM

Right you are. Thanks.

2nd May 2005, 08:39 PM	#2
wolviex Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Poland, Krakow Posts: 418	Tom: you are absolutely right about mail used in the helmet from the 16 & 17 pictures. The rings, which are joining the rest of the mail with the helmet, aren't original. Take a closer look at it, and you will see, that other rings are just as they should be, and they are much different from these above them. I don't know the story, but most probably is, this part of mailing was destroyed, and someone (I suppose just after the II WW) made a quick repair. It should be done better, but the time was very hard in Poland in those days, and many repairings and restorations were made cursorily. If you take a very close look you will probably see that they aren't attached properly. It's a shame I still don't have a book "Uzbrojenie Tatarów" (Tartars armament) by Mr. Gutowski, so I can't be sure, but if my memory serves me well, it is described as Tartar's helmet from the 19th century...as far as I remember. Regards! Attached Images

2nd May 2005, 02:01 PM	#1
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	No commentary on the mail? High quality mail is rivetted or welded. The links are often of flat or rectangular section; I'm not sure why, other than to facilitate rivetting (sometimes only the ends of the links are flattened). Interesting in combination with the lavishness of the decorative work; the low quality often noted on things meant for show rather than use? These mail coifs are of often questioned usefulness and are often spoken of as decorative, but many I've seen are of proper battle mail, and while it won't save your skull from cracking, it's still of some help....

2nd May 2005, 10:10 PM	#3
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	Right you are. Thanks.