Breastplate 1500-1510
Likely Italian or western European. Globose form. Outward turned, tapered angular rolls at the neck and arm holes. The roll at the neck is larger than those at the arms. The taper is intentional and carefully placed. Two fauld lames, the lower cut out with an arch at the center, the arch with a narrow inward turned roll. The rolls at the neck and arms have a nice angular form but they are crudely excecuted showing many areas of pucker that happened when the rolls were formed. Even at this level the taper and form show real intent and the form will act like a "stop rib" at the neck and arms. The overall form of the piece and quality of the rolls indicate that this would have been a munition piece for use by a common soldier on foot or light cavalry. Left shoulder repaired with an internally riveted patch. To see nicer rolls of a similar form see item number A-239. For really nice examples of the style of rolls see item number A-321 and item number A-66.
The style of damage and repairs are consistent with pieces that came from the Rhodes finds and were conserved/restored/sold through Bachereau in Paris in the late 19th and early 20th c. The Rhodes pieces and their history is discussed in the book "The Medieval Armour from Rhodes" by Karcheski and Richardson. This piece is not included in the book. The closest comparable breastplate that is published is 4.28 which is now preserved in the Met (29.150.88) which is identified as Italian c. 1490. The description compares that breastplate to a number of survivals and depictions in art which include both Italian and western European pieces including some from Innsbruck/Muhlau in Churburg. The specific shape of this piece leads me to believe that it is from the early 16th c. and for munition use - the neck line is relatively flat and the waist is not as narrow as it would be on a higher end piece. Other possible Rhodes pieces in the Allen collection include item number A-217 and item number A-68. Another source for late 15th/early 16th c. pieces in excavated condition is St. Irene in Istanbul. These are less well documented.
Two fauld lames at best associated but possibly later (first) and later (second). The patch at the shoulder is either very old (19th c.) or intentionally aged on the inside to minic the original material. It appears that the shoulder patch and fauld work were done at different times - my feeling is that the fauld work was later. Illustrated in Andrew Garcia's book "The Collector's Course on Medieval Arms and Armor" on page 120.
Measurements: Weight: 5 pounds 2.8 ounces (2350g)
If you have any questions, please send them to Wade Allen
This site last updated Mon Jan 12 09:08:24 EST 2026