Even the art world is embracing the world of Steampunk. Bob Bassett studios offers up an amazing competitor in the race to create the best of Steampunk fashion.
What began as an underground movement in the sci-fi and fantasy genre has become a breakthrough phenomenon in recent years. Popular comics, books and movies and exposure through mainstream television outlets like popular crime show Castle have made Steampunk popular among geeks and non-geeks alike. As incredible as it has been to have such a large movement come together – seemingly out of nowhere – there has been one major dilemma for the hardcore Steampunk aficionado. How can you create your own individual Steampunk style when everybody and their great uncle Fred is picking up this trend?
This Steampunk gas-mask styled hood, custom made by the Ukraine-based Bob Basset art studio, is an example of a truly exceptional costume piece that you can be certain no other punk is going to have. Tooled with real leather and brass, the hood fits closely around the face leaving openings at the jaw and around the hairline. The workmanship on this piece is breathtaking. Both metal and leather have been painstakingly crafted to fit perfectly around the face.
Forget the customary Steampunk top hat. The crown of this particular mask is adorned with twin ridges of reptilian spikes to create a mohawk, lending a slightly more industrial edge to the punk who isn’t looking to mingle with the prim and proper crowd. The hood itself comes in two separate sections – a face plate complete with a red lens over the right eye and crosshairs over the left, and an armored head plate.
Known for their hoods, the Bob Basset studio creates a number of other styles for all the punk genres. While only a small collection of their art is kept up for auction the studio takes commissions and is willing to work with any customers to create a design that is certain to be one of a kind. The studio has been in operation for over twenty years now, and in addition to these masks the studio offers a number of other items in a variety of materials.
However, nobody said that having an original Steampunk design was going to come cheap. The hood featured here is listed on e-bay and will set you back $900. Though it may seem like a lot, it’s really a small price to pay for something that requires such immense (and impressive) skill. An item like this, while an investment for some, can only remain wish list fodder for others. If you do decide to pick up the mask though, check out this awesome Primitus Steampunk Gun Mod this unsettling combination of Steampunk and Taxidermy for ideas. Items like these are a great example of what Steampunk is really all about; the innovations of today combined with the romance and the craft of yesterday.
Via: Bob Basset Studios Blog Archive
