By the middle of the 15th century a new type of helmet had evolved in Italy – the armet that covered the head completed and had a moveable visor. The armet differed from the sallet (or salade) in having the back of the helmet shaped to the line of the neck.
The helmet shown here also has a chin-piece and neck-protector (beaver). The helmet was intended for tournaments, specifically the gioco del ponto or “tournament on the bridge” that was held in Pisa in the second half of the 16th century and the early 17th. The contestants did battle with special wooden poles which determined this design of faceplate.