Pair of finger gauntlets. late 16th-early 17th century
Of blackened steel, each comprising a flared, boxed cuff with low medial ridge, and slender turned and roped border with a line of domed brass-headed rivets, roped boss over the ulna, seven overlapping metacarpal plates, a knuckle plate embossed over each knuckle, and an additional plate to which the fingers are secured all articulated with on domed brass-headed rivets, overlapping finger plates riveted to leathers, separate hinged thumb guards and leather wrist straps with iron buckles. the final metacarpal plate is wider than the rest and is formed to the knuckle plate. Most of the rivets in the cuff, metacarpal and thumb are original. Remains of lining leathers. One of the wrist straps original. Some finger lames original (most often these are all modern replacements). The cuffs are formed of an inner and outer plate, riveted together. The inner plate is boxed to go over the vambrace but fit close the wrist. There are assembly marks in the metacarpal plates. The plate to which the finger leathers are secured has pairs holes at the inner edge for attachment of the finger leathers (these are not currently used, instead they are attached by single rivets at the center of the plate). From the collection of John Wilmot.
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This site last updated Sat Oct 14 17:17:58 EDT 2023