Tasset 1610-20
Italian. With blued and gilt decoration. Separates into two parts between the ninth and tenth plate. The join formed by a keyhole and button laterally and a pin with a vertical hole (likely originally engaged by a hook, now missing) medially. The tasset formed of sixteen upward lapping plates with a poleyn of five plates. The top plate is boxed to fit to the flare at the base of the breastplate. The exposed edges of the plates with five points each and bordered by three parallel engraved lines. The cop of shallow form with a mostly flat wing. Articulated with two lames above and two lames below, the final lame larger and cut with a rounded (patched) bottom edge. Decorated with gilt rivets and engraved lines. Apparently originally the plates were attached using three internal leathers and had an additional narrow strip at the ends of the plates. Each of these leathers would have been secured by a single rivet per plate (may rivets remain for the central three leathers). Some modern patches at plate 14 and terminal plate. Leathers broken. Now loose or secured by modern bolts at the outer edges. One odd modern welded vertical strip providing some additional stability. Originally one of a pair in the Higgins Armory, the mate sold separately at a subsequent sale.
Provenance: John Woodman Higgins Armoury Inv. Nos. 927.4.a and b from Dr. Bashford Dean, Riverdale, New York, 28th September 1929
Measurements: 29 in. (61 cm) long.
If you have any questions, please send them to Wade Allen
This site last updated Wed Jul 09 21:38:05 EDT 2025