STRUCK WITH THE MARKS OF TOMASSO MISSAGLIA

the skull formed in one piece with a rounded crown rising to a low medial ridge, extending downwards and flaring slightly outwards at each side to just above the level of the shoulders, projecting rearwards over the nape as a short integral "tail" and cut at the front with a T-shaped face-opening; its rear struck with the maker’s marks, a gothic letter ‘M’ beneath a split cross at each side, the face-opening reinforced, and the lower edge with a near square-section turn (the face-opening, neck-guard and a portion of the cheeks restored, small areas of light pitting), 29.5 cm high

Provenance

Christie's, 20th March 1967, lot 109

Norman Fargo, Sandpoint, Idaho

The marks appear to be those of the Missaglia workshop, the leading Milanese armorers in the fifteenth century. A sallet of circa 1440-50 marked by Tommaso dei Negroni da Ello, called Missaglia, considered to be the founder of the great Milanese dynasty of armourers, was sold in this room, 28th June 2023, lot 282. Rebuilt by Christopher Dobson, Suffolk, 2012.