Great Helm (topfhelm)

Here is a beautifully crafted stylisation based on the Pothelm type 2, an early crusade-era pot helmet, first half of the 13th century, modest but cool.

Its name in English is a literal translation of the German name tophelm and, as you can easily guess, means helmet-pot. 

This enchanting helmet was widespread in Western Europe from the fourth quarter of the XIIth century to the mid-XIIIth century. And in some places even longer, because for the poor knights to dress up in the armor of the great-grandfather was the order of the day.

This helmet evolved from the simplest early helmet. Agree, if the guys have guessed from a simple hat to move in the direction of an iron hat, then to protect the nose and eyes with a nose guard and half-mask, the idea to extend the nose guard on the whole lower half of the face was just lying on the surface. This kind of ingenuity was especially facilitated by the increased role of the ramming lance. After all, when a lance hit to the shield slips and a huge wooden piece of wood with metal on its end flies in the face, you want the face to be better protected than a thin strip of steel on the nose. So master armorers, so as not to lose customers, sought new and creative armor designs.

The helmet also expanded somewhat in volume. Indeed, an increase in internal volume allowed for the use of a quilted liner and eliminated contact between the helmet walls and the wearer's head, which could not but please the latter.

The shape of the helmet changed from conical to cylindrical. The former half-mask was solved drastically - in the cylinder there were simply holes for the eyes and a lot of small holes below for ventilation. And on the top of it they just riveted a metal circle. That is how we got the pothelm, affectionately known amongst re-enactors as the bucket.

Unfortunately, no artifacts of such helmets have survived. There is only a dubious exhibit from the Netherlands Army Museum in Delft (moved to Susterberg in 2013).

However, images of similar helmets have been widely known since the late XIIth century (in a manuscript of the Aeneid c. 1200, on the rich decoration of an altar from the cathedral in Aachen).

Steel Mastery website presents 3 pothelms. One of the first type - Great Helm (topfhelm) and two of the second type: the Later faceguard Great Helm and our handsome one - the Great Helm of the first half of the 13th century.

Choose which type you prefer, order and enjoy the brutal protection of the XIIth and XIIIth centuries.

• SCA
• HEMA
• Larp
• Stage performances
• Medieval festivals
• Reenactment events

Main photo shows early medieval helmet with following options:

• Cold-rolled steel 1.5 mm;
• Mirror polishing as finish treatment;
• Black leather belts;
• Brass buckles;
• Steel rivets;
• No decoration;

Base price includes following options:

• Cold-rolled steel 1.5 mm;
• Satin polishing;
• Brown leather belts;
• Steel nickel-plated buckles;
• Steel rivets;
• No decoration

Benefits, which you’ll get, if you buy medieval helmet at Steel Mastery:

1. Custom-made high-quality metal body armor, handcrafted by your individual parameters;
2. Reliability and comfortable wearing for years;
3. Product made by experienced blacksmiths, who really know how to make a good armor;
4. Convenient payment systems (Paypal, Skrill, Visa, MasterCard, American Express);
5. Flexible return system in case if you don’t like an item.

In section “Helmets”, you can see all models that we offer for ordering. If you didn’t find any for your taste and wish, please send us photo and description of the required model and we will make it for you.