Cuisse for the left leg 1510
Spanish (possibly Flemish or Italian). Formed of a short cuisse plate, a long demi-greave, a central cop and two lames above and below the cop. All formed with a central crease. The cuisse plate slightly boxed and the outside and dished to conform to the thigh. The upper edge of the cuisse bordered by a recessed band and hollow roll. The cop with a raised central ridge and another bridging the transition from the cop to the wing. The wing with a recessed border. The demi-greave cut away on the inside of the bottom and bordered by a recessed band and roll similar to the top of the cuisse. The outside cut off straight. A single buckle remains on the outside of the demi-greave. There are rivets for securing straps and buckles on the cuisse and knee cop. Sold from the Parsons collection as late 15th c. but the character of the piece - forms of the rolls and boxing much more closely approximates 1510 - similar in many ways to the cuisses on Henry VIII's Silvered and Engraved armour. It appears that this was likely originally rough from the hammer and would likely have been blackened. This is very similar in form to the knees illustrated in Albert F Calvert - Spanish Arms and Armour - plates 17(b) and 99. They are described as late 15th c. Other similar items can be seen in Mann - Notes on the Armour Worn in Spain - Archaeologia LXXXIII for 1933 p. 300 fig. 7 and item #183 in the Kretzschmar von Kienbusch Collection of Armor and Arms 1963 - again identified as late 15th century Spanish. There are also two similar pairs in the Harding Collection in Chicago. One of these has been adapted to appear to have a more 15th c. style. One pair and one left very similar pairs are illustrated in armamento Medieval No Espaco Portugues items 21 and 22. These come from Lisboa Museu Militar Inv. MML numbers 21/37 and 21/69. 21/69 is nearly identical to this item..
Provenance: Dr. Peter Parsons Collection (2011), Brian Powers (1980)
Measurements - 15 in. overall height - others on the image. Thickness - cuisse .060-.070 in. cop .050-.060 in. demi-greave .040-.050 in.
If you have any questions, please send them to Wade Allen
This site last updated Mon Dec 27 11:29:14 EST 2021