RICK: What do we have here?
ALEXIS: Well, it is a Cromwellian
Lobster Tail helmet.
RICK: This style of helmet was popular in England
during the English Civil War, happened in the--
1642.
RICK: 1642, you're good.
--to '51.
Oh, good.
You know your history, yeah.
[laughter]
ALEXIS: Today, I've got a 1640s Cromwellian
Lobster Tail helmet.
There's a lot of people that are interested in this genre
of arms and armament, so I'm asking $3,500 for the helmet,
but I think I'd be willing to sell for $2,000.
RICK: This thing is definitely cool.
It was just really a bizarro, weird civil war.
It was the King saying I'm in charge,
and Parliament saying, well, you're in charge,
but not really in charge.
You had Cromwell and the Puritans, and all this.
And basically, the king lost.
Mm-hmm.
And he also lost his head.
[laughter]
As it happens.
RICK: This was high-tech and, I mean,
really, it was a lot better than earlier wars, where they just
had, basically, a steel dunce hat on their head,
and they would have this flap on the back.
And they had leather straps on the side,
so it gave a little support.
So when you got hit on the head, it wasn't as bad.
ALEXIS: OK.
RICK: During the English Civil wars,
these helmets were used by both sides,
and this design was considered really high-tech.
You had something that flexed and protected your neck.
But I have to say, there's something
about this lobster tail helmet that's a little fishy.
[laughter]
So how much you want for this thing?
ALEXIS: I'd love to get $3,500 for it.
RICK: OK.
I have some concerns right off the bat with this thing.
ALEXIS: Mm-hmm.
RICK: The reason why it was called
a lobster tail helmet was cause this flexed
like a lobster tail.
This is all one piece.
Mm-hmm.
RICK: And that really concerns me.
Do you mind if I have someone look at it?
ALEXIS: Sure. RICK: OK.
You can hang out for a little bit.
I'm going to go call somebody, and get him down here.
I wonder if they'll come back in style.
ALEXIS: When he mentioned that he was calling in an expert,
I felt a little nervous.
But I think that this piece would be perfect in the shop,
and I think they'd do really well with it.
RICK: It's really cool looking, but I'm not exactly an expert
on lobster tail helmets.
So I'm calling in my friend Alex,
who will know all about this.
ALEX: Ah, the lobster tail pod helmet.
So my big concern is that this tail doesn't flex.
ALEX: OK. Well, this is Cromwellian.
Basically, Cromwell had supporters.
They called them the Roundheads, and they
were diametrically opposed to the Royalists,
who supported King Charles.
They called them the Cavaliers.
RICK: OK.
ALEX: This is why it's called the lobster tail.
Traditionally, I guess you could say,
this would have been three sheets
of metal riveted together, so it had
a little bit of articulation.
They did make them like this for lower-status soldiers.
It was preferred by officers.
But this shouldn't be a reason to think
that this is incorrect.
RICK: All right.
ALEX: There's a lot of history around this helmet.
This was a brutal time to be at war.
They're using giant swords, they're using axes.
There were so many things, that a helmet was
crucial to saving your life.
RICK: So what do you think it's worth?
ALEX: If this were true to the period, this would be--
I could see it getting $3,500.
There are some rivets here, and some pieces
of leather on the inside.
Those are for cheek pieces, so they
would have been worn on either side, and hung freely.
Now, it's very typical that they're missing,
because they were connected by leather, typically.
You can see some of that leather still here.
I don't see too much 350-year-old leather.
The other thing is it's really light.
This wouldn't have been worn in the battle.
There's just no way that this would have stopped
a blow from a broadsword.
I would think that it's actually a Victorian copy.
As a Victorian copy, a couple hundred bucks.
RICK: Thanks, man. I appreciate it.
You're welcome. I'm really sorry.
[laughter]
ALEXIS: No worries.
RICK: I'd give you $50 for it.
[laughter]
ALEXIS: Yeah.
No, at that price, I think I'll just keep it.
RICK: OK. I understand.
Like I said, it happens.
What are you going to do?
Thanks so much. RICK: You, too.
Bye-bye.
Bye.
For $50, I think I'll just go ahead and take it home,
and enjoy it while watching my favorite British movie
with some wine or something.