Three quarter armour 1590
German. Nuremberg. Overall rough from the hammer with blackened finish decorated by recessed polished bands and inward turned, rolls. The majority of the rolls are roped. Comprising a burgonet, curirass with fauld and tassets, gorget with munions, elbow gauntlets and simulated mail sleeves.
Burgonet with one piece skull rising to a high comb at the center and extened to form a brim at the front. With two cheek plates and a separate tail lame. The cheek plates are extended to match the length of the tail lame with separate fixed plates. The edge of the brim, cheek plates, tail and a raised circular area in the middle of the cheek plates are polished bright against a blackened background. The edge of the brim and lower edge of the tail and cheek plates are bordered by inward-turned, rolled borders. The edge of the brim shows a delamination and crack which exposes wire in the roll. The cheek plates are pierced with 5 holes over the ears. The burgonet has a tubular plume holder decorated with diagonal lines secured to center of the back. There are remnants of lining leather at the brow and tail. The interior of the tail lame includes some signs of old painted arsenal or inventory markings in red and yellow. These appear to be 18 or 81, U8 and ZS. The inside of the skull shows signs of earlier raised or recessed bands that have been removed during the working life of the helmet. One cheek plate (the right) may be an old association. The right hinge is replaced. The breastplate has a deep peascod form with sliding gussets at the arms, a fauld of 2 lames, buckles at the shoulders and a roll at the neck. It is decorated by three recessed polished bands with central creases that continue on the fauld lames. The center of the bottom fauld lame is arched with an inward turned roped border. The fauld carries a pair of knee length tassets formed of seven plates which continue the recessed bands from the fauld at the center. There are raised bands on the inside edge continuing the central band from the fauld. The lower edge of the tassets is bordered by a recessed border and a tapered, inward turned and roped roll. The tassets are secured to the fauld by later hinged metal mounts. There are signs of holes for earlier straps and buckles on each side and the center of the tassets with matching holes in the terminal fauld lame. The fauld lames have holes formerly used to secure interior leather straps on each side. Some cracks to the fauld lames. The backplate is formed of 3 pieces and a separate culet plate. It appears to match the breastplate in form, decoration, mark, size and shape. The recessed bands on the sides have a crease at the center, the central band is flat. The bottom edge of the culet plate is cusped at the center. The main three plates of the backplate are certainly original and appear to have formed a cuirass with the breastplate. The culet lame may be later and the interior waist lame that joins them appears to be modern. The gorget is formed of two plates front and back. The main plates are formed to the shoulders, the upper plate tapers to the neck. The upper edge of the neck plates has a flattened inward turn. Munions of seven plates are attached to each side. These have a recessed and creased band at the center and a raised band at the front. The terminal plates are bordered by a recessed border and a an inward turned rolled and ropped edge. The intersection between the recessed border and central recessed band is decorated by a point formed in the border recess. The upper two lames appear to be associated and are possibly modern. The arms are covered by riveted mail with rings formed from round wire with pent roof overlaps and wedge rivets. These were later formed into the shape of sleeves. The elbow gauntlets include cuffs formed from two plates, back of hand covered by five plates, a knuckle rider and short mittens of two plates. The gauntlets are decorated with a central recessed band without a central crease. The border of the cuff is bordered by a recessed border and an inward turned rolled and roped border. The thumbs are protected by one main plate over the base of the thumb and three small scales over the thumb. They are currently secured to the metacarpal plates by a later leather. The gauntlets are nearly a pair. The right gauntlet has a rubbed mark in the recess of the cuff and signs of part of another one. The left gauntlet appears to have an associated inner cuff plate.
The gauntlets and burgonet are likley associated, but the breast, back, tassets and gorget with munions are well matched. Some rust, most leathers lost or replaced, and some modern and likely Victorian replacements. Overall well matched armour.
Measurements (in inches):
Breastplate: 12 1/4 wide at the waist, 15 wide under the arms 10 1/2 wide at the shoulders with the gussets extended, 12 3/4 tall from the center of the neck roll to the waist at the base of the peascod, tassets 15 long at the center. Thickness .085-.110 in the center (mostly .090-.10) it is pretty consistent between the side bands. It thins to generally .060-080 on the sides with some areas as thin as .050. The gussets are generally .050. Tassets generally .050, some spots thinner.
Backplate: 11 1/2 wide at the top, 12 wide at the center of the armhole (vertically). Thickness .050-.080, generally thicker at the waist and thinning toward the top. Side plates .040-050, mostly 040-045.
The stand used to display the armour in its current form is displayed in the final pictures. The main image was taken on this stand.
If you have any questions, please send them to Wade Allen
This site last updated Mon Dec 27 11:29:14 EST 2021