Bottom plates from a pair of German Tassets circa 1520-30

of bright steel embossed and engraved in imitation of the slashed civilian clothing of the period. Each curved to the shape of the thigh, the lower edge (cracked) boldy roped and bordered by a recessed border defined by 2 ridges. The upper edge cusped in the center. Domed brass rivets replaced. Height 5 inches (12.8 cm).

Provenance F.H. Cripps-Day.

Exhibited Wilmer House Museum, Farnham, 3-29 April 1962, No. 8.

Feb. 10 2023-Oct. 2023 Orange County Historical Museum Hillsborough NC [inv. num. A-29]

Pair of tasset lower plates circa 1580

Narrow rolled decoration with fine roping. Short sections of sunk border with additional recessed flute. Embossed decoration. Black ground with polished raised decoration of stylized leaves, vines and zoomorphic heads. Looking carefully the pictures show a design change part way through the process. One of the tassets (pictured on the right) includes the outline for another set of points below center coming off of the sworls. The one on the left does not have these.

Measurements: weights 11.2 ounces (315g) and 10.8 ounces (305g). Thickness between .040 and .070 in., mostly .040-.055 in. Exhibited: Feb. 10 2023-Oct. 2023 Orange County Historical Museum Hillsborough NC [inv. num. A-30]

Tasset end plate circa 1580

Single plate. Inward turned roll around the bottom edge extending up the sides. 2 keyhole slots at the top for attachment to the upper tasset plates. Embossed and recessed decoration with etching. Recessed border around the edge with etching. Central band of etching. Purportedly from the Madrid Real Armeria after the Spanish Civil War (according to the seller), also attributed possibly to the Lisbon armoury. The decoration on each side is a firesteel and stone creating fire. This symbol is associated with the Order of the Golden Fleece. A slightly different form of the same image appears on the elbow wings of an armour for Philipp II of Spain that was made in 1544 by Desiderius Helmshmid (A 547 in the KHM).

Exhibited: Feb. 10 2023-Oct. 2023 Orange County Historical Museum Hillsborough NC [inv. num. A-150]