About Those Auction Site Sallets...

[Octipig]

I'd long planned to build an authentic looking medieval helmet, cardboard or foam tile. A bascinet would be pretty simple, but my favorite has always been a German sallet. I can't imagine building a convincing sallet out of those materials, but recently noticed various models on the famous online auction house. These are made in India, claim to be 14 gauge (without specifying material) and look very good for the price.

While I'd prefer, and plan, to make my own, I'm curious if anybody has seen firsthand any these imports.

 

[Octipig]

Here's an example. I hope I'm not breaking forum rules by referencing an auction, but I'm not sure my post was comprehensive without an illustration.

 

[lmgill]

The quality of these replicas are not very good, but this is also relative to your experience and understanding of what they should look like.
Like buying a Don Post Darth Vader helmet, its cheap, and if you want a helmet that most people would recognize as Vader, then OK. But it's not very accurate, and as you get more familiar with what the helmet actually looks like, you will eventually be unhappy with it.
These sallets are not shaped correctly for either Italian or German sallets.
Depending on your budget (this one is ridiculously cheap) there are a number of craftsman in Eastern Europe (Poland/ Russia, Czech republic) that make some incredible pieces. But, these are going to be in the $600-$1500 and up range.

Here are some examples from "Old world armoury" in Russia. He does some very nice work. I have one of his helmets (it may be the one in the first picture)
I like the painted one. This seems to have been fairly common practice in the 15th century.

 

[Octipig]

Thanks for the response. I've seen enough bad armor to be very skeptical.

 

[Octipig]

Are you sure about the name "old world armoury"? Seems it's a warhammer module, nothing about armor repros come up on my searches.
(I'm thinking an SCA site might be the place to ask)