Original 17th – 18th Century Rare Dutch Lobster-tailed Steel Pot Helmet New Made Items

Original Item: Only One Available. The lobster-tailed pot helmet, also known as the zischägge, horseman’s pot and harquebusier’s pot, was a type of post-Renaissance combat helmet. It became popular in Europe, especially for cavalry and officers, from c. 1600; it was derived from an Ottoman Turkish helmet type. The helmet gradually fell out of use in most of Europe in the late 17th century; however, the Austrian heavy cavalry retained it for some campaigns as late as the 1780s. The French term capeline was also used for this helmet, however, usage of this word was not precise. “Capeline” was indiscriminately used to denote various types of hat, and helmets other than the lobster-tailed pot.

The lobster-tailed pot helmet had an oriental origin, being derived from the Ottoman Turkish çiçak (pronounced ‘chichak’, Turkish – çiçek Çiçek means flower in Turkish which is attributed to the shape of the helmets top side) helmet, which developed in the 16th century. It was adopted by the Christian states of Europe in the early 17th century. The chichak was almost identical to the later European helmets – it had a forward projecting peak, sliding bar nasal, cheekpieces and neck guard; only its tendency to have a conical rather than rounded skull was distinctive. The European derivative of this helmet saw widespread use during the Thirty Years War when it became known as the zischägge, a Germanisation of the original Turkish name.

This example is most likely Dutch in origin, and conforms to the type of Lobster-tailed helmets they used in the mid 17th to early 18th centuries. It has the standard fluted steel skull piece, in the typical European Continental style, with two halves joined together. The front visor is made from the same two pieces of metal, while the rear “Lobster-tail” is made from a separate piece, and has embossed “ribs” on it. 

This helmet does not have fold down ear guards, and does not look like it had them in the past. It did however have a front “nose guard” or face piece that would slide down from above the front visor, but that is now lost, and the wing nut frozen.

Inside the helmet there is still a bit of the fabric lining, but for the most part, the entire inner padding system is missing. One can see the many attachment points that were used around the circumference, which now only have a bit of the original material still under them. The interior is marked 4 – 1 – 2, most likely a museum asset number, or possibly the date it was acquired by the collector.

Very attractive and hard to find in any condition, this would make a worth addition to any European collection.