Breastplate 1490
German. Composed. Upper plate with outward turned triangular rolls at the neck and arms. The form of the upper breastplate and specifically its rolls with sweeping inner curves compares very well to the Gothic armours in Vienna made by Lorenz Helmschmied. Plackart formed of one main plate and two smaller plates. Plackart associated. Plackart lames somewhat reworked to fit upper. The results aren't bad looking from the front, but the profile is far flatter than it should be and the sizes don't match - the upper is far wider than the lower plates. Some modern internal patches in original plates. One end of the upper breastplate extended to match other side. Modern fauld of four lames. Upper plate fitted with a folding lance rest secured by two bolts from he inside. Lance rest described as modern in sale description. After removal and investigation the details of construction and wear indicate that there is a possibility that the lance rest is actually of the period, possibly even originally part of the same armour as the upper breastplate. It compares very closely to those which survive on the Vienna Gothic armours of the same period. There are also similarities to the lance rest on slightly later Mantova B-8. The bolts are also similar to one of those on the Mantova armour. Two modern buckles at the shoulders. The hinges were likely originally internal, there are recesses at the ends of the shoulder extensions which have filed notch decoration. This is covered up by the current external buckle mounts.
Ex. JW Higgins armoury inv. no. 802. From Dr Bashford Dean, Riverdale, New York, purchased from his estate, 28th September 1929. Exhibited Rockefeller Center, New York, 1 - 30 June 1965 and Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, 9 April - 16 September 1963
Measurements: Breastplate: 13 1/2 in tall from the base of the neck to center of waist, 11 in. wide at the shoulders, 7 1/2 in. wide at the top of the neck, 10 1/2 in. wide at the narrowest spot between the arms, 14 3/8 in. wide under the arms and 10 1/4 in. wide at the waist. Lance Rest. The hinge portion is composed of 3 parts. The central part is part of the base, the two outside elements are part of the hook. The outer two knuckles are 1/4 in. thick. The central knuckle is just over 5/16 in. thick. There isn't a clean spot where the hinge actually is a full circle. But if I measure from the top to the flat spot on the bottom, it is just over 7/8 in. tall. Top to bottom 4 1/8 in. from end of point to end of point. The base arches app 5/16 in. above the level of the 2 points at the center to allow it to fit to the curve of the breastplate. From the center of the base to the end of the hook 4 3/16 in. Width of the base from the end of a point to flat spot 1 3/4 in. Holes are app. 1 1/2 in. apart on center. Weight of the lance rest: 8.6 ounces (245g).
Breastplate thickness (measuring in the upper breastplate, the least adapated part) .085 in. to .12 in. generally .095-.11 in. It seems to be a little thicker under the lance rest.
If you have any questions, please send them to Wade Allen
This site last updated Mon Oct 17 14:06:55 EDT 2022