Greaves are hard to find. They are one of the more interesting pieces of armor. They are carefully fit to the human form and represent a very sculptural form. The greaves that came with both of my suits are modern, so I have been trying for years to obtain real examples. These represent an atypical style where the inside of the legs are not fully covered. These are usually associated with 16th c. jousting armors. They illustrate the shaping necessary for them to work, and little details like the file work at the hinges.
Pair of greaves mid 16th c.
Likely Italian. Formed of two plates, front and rear. Nicely shaped to the leg. The plates are joined at the outside by a pair of inset hinges and at the inside by two strips of leather that would be laced together. The hinges are secured to the inside of the plates. They sit behind the edge of the front plate and are set into cut outs in the rear plate. The edges of the plates are filed with small decorative notches at the hinges. This style of greave was usually used for the joust. It allows a little more flexibility in size and can offer some more contact with the horse. Mail added later, cut from a piece of near or middle eastern mail. Mail at the feet was common on Italian armours, but this is likely a later adaptation. The strips of leather on the inside are late 19th c. or early 20th c. Leather showing signs of the red rot that is typical of leathers of that period. They reflect the correct original construction with strips of leather with lace holes. [inv. num. A-318]