This is the first piece I bought. It is just an elbow, but it still has a lot to offer. It allows me to understand how thick armor really was, it illustrates where form needs to be in an elbow, shows how roped borders were made and illustrates the springiness of the piece. It may also have an original finish.
Floating elbow circa 1560
Italian. Of nearly bracelet form. There is a narrow gap of app 1/2 inch between the rear edge of the cop and the wing. The cop is asymetric, being flatter at the back and rising to a peak at the center from slightly behind the point of the elbow through the wing. The wing is slightly larger on one side than the other indicating that this is a right elbow. The outer edges are rolled and roped for their entire length. The roll is bordered by a recessed border on the front portion of the wing. There is a central raised roped band running along most of the raised portion of the cop. There are 2 holes on the front and one at the back for attachment of the cop to the vambrace plates. There is an old collection number in white paint ('178') on the back of the wing. Some delaminations on the inside.
Height of cop app. 3 1/2 inches, and the wing app. 5 inches. Length app. 7 1/2 inches from the point of the elbow to the opposite edge of the wing.
Weight 9.6 ounces (275 g). [inv. num. A-24]