Outer vambrace plate circa 1480-1500
From a late 15th century German "splint" vambrace. Surface covered with diagonal flutes. 2 horzontal flutes paralleling the wrist. Simple outward fold at the wrist. Inside includes a separate strip running vertically that forms a slot for the hand protection. This is very atypical - these were often attached by placing a slot in the main plate. The vambrace covers the outer third of the arm.
8 1/2 in. long at the outside and 5 3/4 in. long at the inside. It is 6 in. wide at the top and tapers (very slightly) to 5 3/4 in. at the wrist. Normally a vambrace tapers more than this, but splints which include hand protection that slides inside the vambrace need to be much more tubular.
Thickness .028" - .048", mostly .030 - .035.
Not for sale.
Italian or possibly south german elbows circa 1510
With associated arm pieces. Both for the left arm. Each with gutter shaped upper cannon (one restored), boldly formed couter with flanged upper and lower edges. One incised with a line. Tapering lower cannon cut with a long slot to accomadate the hand defences. Italian, or possibly south German. From the collections of the Counts Schenk von Stauffenberg. Similar ones are preserved in Madonna Delle Grazie - Mantova, and the Tower (from Rhodes)
Maximum width of the wing 8 in. 5 5/8 in. at the back edge. From center of elbow crease to point of cop 7 1/4 in.
Measurements of the slightly larger copy with beveled edge - thickness of the wing area .022-.030 in. back of the cop mostly .030, some areas down to .025, others up to .052 in. front of cop mostly .040-.050 in.
Not for sale.
Composed arm harness circa 1510 etc.
Italian floating elbow from 1510. Associated with a later (17th cent.) vambrace, a simple upper vambrace that may form part of the arm with the elbow. The elbow is a simple floating elbow with integral wing. The edges of the wing have a simple rececessed border. The border is app. 1/2" wide and it ends app. 3/4" from the back edge and 1" from the center of the wing. Upper vambrace plate has a central crease and a small half roll at the inside of the elbow. Spaulder plate with a rudimentary central crease and border at the top edge. The front and back of the spaulder cop have been trimmed to adapt it to this arm. The original form was likely very similar to A-56. Together with an associated lame.
Elbow cop - the wing is app 6" tall at the widest spot, tapering to app. 4 1/2" at the back edge. The upper vambrace is app. 7" tall at the back and 5 3/8" tall at the front. It is 6 3/8" wide at the top (measured on the surface). Spaulder cop 5 1/4 in. tall.
The elbow varies from .058 in. to .030 in. Mostly app. .040 in. Upper vambrace thickness varies significantly. It is generally thicker at the front and thinner at the back. It varies from app. .06" down to .03". Spaulder cop - .022 - .045" thick, the thinnest measurements at the center.
Not for sale.
Elbow cop circa 1510-30
Decorated with flutes and recessed bands. A "floating" cop used with separate upper and lower cannons of the vambrace. The mate is a very well made modern copy (to form a pair). The mate was made in the armouries of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Not for sale.
German floating Elbow circa 1520
Simple "Maximilian" form. Rounded flutes accented by engraved lines. 2 nearly identical elbows are in the Fitzwilliam collection (no.s HEN.M.135A-1933 and HEN.M.135B-1933). From the R.T. Gwynn collection.
Not for sale.
Arms circa 1520
German. Spaulders of 5 plates, main plate overlapping one upper and 3 lower plates. Arms with an open upper and closed lower vambraces with couter articulated by one lame above and below. Couters with large wings with rolled and roped borders, recessed band and central spray of closely-set flutes. Center of cop embossed with a flower.
Not for sale.
Arm harness circa 1540-60
Formed of an upper and lower vambrace articulated by means of one lame below and one lame above to the bracelet cop. The upper vambrace includes a turning collar which was originally directly attached by a sliding rivet at the back and two leathers to the pauldron. Rolled and roped borders at the wrist and on the edge of the wing. Simple outward rolls at the inner edge of the upper and lower vambraces (at the elbow). Elbow of very pointed form with full bracelet wing. Horizontal raised and roped ridge on the outside from the point of the elbow to the center of the wing. Iron rivets with brass caps articulating the plates and attaching the hinge for the lower vambrace.
Turning collar 4 3/4" in diameter. Lower vambrace 9 3/8" long at the longest point.
Upper cannon .030-.050" thick, lower cannon more even .030-.040" thick.
Not for sale.
German Black and White Elbow mid 16th cent.
Elbow cop. Floating (originally held to the arm with a strap and buckle around the elbow and a pin suspending if from the upper arm). Decorated with raised foliage against a rough background (likely originally blackened). Raised areas with simple etched decoration. Recessed border with high quality etched decoration of foliage with "dot" background. This elbow was claimed to have been formerly in the collection of Stephen Granscay.
Not for sale.
Italian floating elbow circa 1560
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 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. The cop is app. 3 1/2 inches tall and app. 7 1/2 inches from the point of the elbow to the opposite edge of the wing. The wing is 5 inches high. There is an old collection number in white paint ("178") on the back of the wing. Some delaminations on the inside.
Not for sale.
Italian Arm harness circa 1560
Originally designed as a floating arm defense of a rerebrace, couter and vambrace. It has been crudely joined by copper rivets. Couter of bracelet form. The rear edge of the cop overlaps the end of hte wing by app. 1/2 inch they are secured by 2 rivets. The end of the wing is recessed so that the outside of the wing and cop are flush. The cop cop is asymetric, being flatter at he back and rising to a peak at the center from slightly behind the point of the elbow through the wing. The wing is symetric. The outer edges are rolled and roped for their entire length (one small portion missing near the center of fhe back). 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. The cop is app. 3 1/2 inches tall and app. 7 inches from the point of the elbow to the opposite edge of the wing. The wing is 5 1/4 inches high. Rerebrace of simple tubular form with rotating collar remaining. Rolled and roped borders at the inside of the elbow and the inside of the edge of the turning collar. The turning collar has one hole in front, a pair of holes at the outside and a slot at the back for the attachment of the pauldron. The vambrace of 2 plates joined by 2 hinges on the outside. The outer plate dished to conform to the forarm. The upper edge of the inner plate with a rolled and roped border. The wrist edge of both plates with rolled and roped border and recessed band. All borders formed with inward turns. Older patchs to the top of the inner vambrace plate (front corner and middle). Vambrace with holes for a strap and buckle to close the vambrace.Vambrace 8 3/4 inches long at the outside and 5 inches long on the inside. Inner vambrace plate somewhat deformed and with 2 short cracks. Originally from HM Stores (possibly Tower or Woolich Rotunda). Complete with bill of sale from 1926.
Not for sale.
German Arm Harness circa 1570
Formed of a closed vambrace with a hinged inner plate. Rolled, roped and recessed border at the wrist. Rounded cop connected to the vambrace plates with one lame above and one lame below. Upper cannon of tubular form with rotating collar. Tournament reinforce for the elbow of one plate formed to fit to the arm. Upper and lower edge with rolls.
Not for sale.
Pauldron late 16th century
Main plate with embossed sworls on front and back. Recessed borders. Large main plate with 2 upper plates. And 4 lower plates.
Not for sale.
German outer plate from a black and white vambrace 16th cent (late)
With complex raised decoration - probably from a highly decorated black and white 3/4 harness similar to examples in Graz. Shows signs of aggressive rusting and repainted black and cleaned raised surfaces.
Not for sale.
Arms circa 1620
2 similar arms. Both composed of upper cannon with turning collar, bracelet cop secured by 2 lames above and 2 lames below, lower cannon formed of 2 plates. In general plates with engraved line decoration. Rolls at the wrist, inner elbow and on the wing of the cop. One arm completely original, one with possibly associated lower vambrace.
Not for sale.
Munion Shoulder circa 1620
formed of x lames. 2nd lame with significant shape. Lower lame formed to the elbow with inward turn at the lower edge.
Not for sale.
Vambrace 17th century
Good "tulip" form. Rolled at the wrist. Hinges and pin attachment remain. Good, stable black patina.
Not for sale.