English Civil War Lobster Pot Helmet 18 Gauge For Re-enactment LARP & Decoration

  
This is a excellent reproduction of an English Civil War Helmet with face guard. It is made of hand-forged A-36 18 gauge mild steel. This metallurgical composition provides excellent resilience, durability and will polish to high sheen. Close attention to quality is a top priority in every piece. The Capeline is the cavalry helmet seen in the English Civil War, commonly known as a lobster pot. This was worn along with the buff coat, gauntlets and breastplate by Oliver Cromwell's Ironside cavalry. Another famous unit issued it was the London lobsters; unusually for the time they had armour that covered most of the body. The lobster-tailed pot had ear flaps, a visor that included a sliding nasal bar to protect the trooper from sword thrusts and an articulated "tail" protecting the back of a head that was said to resemble a lobster.

Another common name for it was the "harquebusier's pot" as by this time the cavalry had adopted carbines. It was invented in Germany around 1630 and saw use in the Thirty Years War where it was known as the Zischagge. Many of these European-made capelines were later imported during the English Civil War.

Sometimes older helmets like the burgeonet or sallet were modified to resemble the lobster pot although these were less effective in the field. Similar helmets were worn in the late 17th century by Polish winged hussars and Prussian cavalry, including Fredrick William's forces at the Battle of Fehrbellin (1672).

The latter had a decorative fluted design and were painted black to prevent rust.