Provenance Information

[Attilio Simonetti, Rome, until d. 1925; by descent to his son Ugo]; [Ugo Simonetti, Rome; Collezioni Simonetti: Quadri, mobili e oggeti d’arte sale, Casa di vendite G. G. Tavazzi, Rome, April 25–May 6, 1932, nos. 414 (helmet) and 415 (belt); bought-in at the sale]; Franca Simonetti Eckhouse, daughter of Ugo Simonetti, Rome, New York City, then Portland, Ore. (by no later than 1960, the year of her father’s death, until 2001, when sold); [Philippe Missillier, Lyon and Paris, until 2013; sold to De Primi Fine Arts]; [De Primi Fine Arts, Lugano, 2013; sold to CL Investments]; [CL Investments Ltd., 2013–22; sold to MMA].

Exhibition Information

London. Ariadne Galleries, Inc. "Art and Adornment: Treasures of Combat," June 30–July 8, 2016.

Publication Information

G. Tavazzi. Collezioni Simonetti. Rome: G. Tavazzi, April 25–May 6, 1932. p. 61, nos. 414–15, pl. 81.

Ariadne Galleries, Inc. Art and Adornment: Treasures of Combat. New York: Ariadne Galleries, Inc., 2016. pp. 72–75, no. 19, ill.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Informed judgement that works were outside of the country of modern discovery before 1970

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

Franca Simonetti Eckhouse (1920–2007), who owned and sold the helmet and belt in 2001, was the daughter of Ugo Simonetti (1871–1960) and granddaughter of Attilio Simonetti (1842–1925), who successively owned the helmet and belt. Married to an American, she emigrated to New York City in 1948 and later lived in Portland, Oregon. When the Helmet and Belt left Italy is unknown, but given that their owner as of 1960 was in New York, the Metropolitan Museum has a good faith belief they were outside of Italy before 1970.