Maker/s

Unknown

Collection

J.S. Henderson

Category

armour

Name

breastplate (body armour)
skirt
tassets

Description

Breastplate with restored skirt and tassets, for field use, with etched decoration. The breastplate, of late 'peascod' form, is made in one piece, with file-roped inward turns at its neck and arm-openings, and a flange at the waist to receive the skirt. A modern single-ended, tongued iron buckle is riveted at each shoulder just below the original holes for their attachment, which are now vacant. The skirt, which is attached to the waist-flange of the breastplate by a rivet at either side, is formed of one lame. Its lower edge is cut with a shallow arch over the crotch. Attached by three modern straps and buckles at each side of the skirt is a tasset formed of five medially-ridge, upward overlapping lames. The lower end of the tasset is strongly convex. The second lame of the right tasset is cracked at its inner end, and the first lame of the left tasset lacks its upper inner corner. The lames are connected to one another by rivets at their outer ends and by internal leathers at their centres and inner ends. The connecting rivets of the right tasset move within slots. The main edges of the skirt and tassets are decorated with file-roped inward turns. Those of the tassets are accompanied by recessed borders and, in the case of their last lames, file-roped ribs. The secondary edges of the skirt and tassets are decorated with file-roped partial inward turns. The breastplate, skirt and tassets are all decorated with etched bands and borders of trophies on a stippled ground. The main bands of the breastplate include cartouches containing classical figures, cherubs, sea horses and dolphins. The main bands are in all cases bordered by narrower bands, in some cases decorated with guilloche. Part of the composite half armour HEN.M.8A-F-1933

Production Notes

North Italian

The etched decoration of the breastplate is partly refreshed, but otherwise very worn. That of the skirt and tassets is entirely modern. The skirt is a modern restoration. The tassets have been made up in modern times from old lames that have been partly reworked to make them match. Differences in construction and detail show that the tassets did not originally form a pair. The character of the roping of the last lame of the left tasset suggests that it was made about 1560.

The breastplate, skirt and tassets are bright with a variable medium to heavy patination overall.

Technique Description

the breastplate, of late peascod form, is made in one piece, with file-roped inward turns at its neck and arm-openings, and a flange at the waist to receive the skirt, which is formed of one lame; hammered, shaped, riveted with etched decoration

Dimensions

height: (breastplate): 42.5 cm
width: (breastplate): 35.2 cm
depth: (breastplate): 16.0 cm
weight: (breastplate): 2.63 kg
height: (right tasset): 27.8 cm
width: (right tasset): 22.5 cm
depth: (right tasset): 7.0 cm
weight: (right tasset): 0.54 kg
height: (left tasset): 27.0 cm
width: (left tasset): 23.5 cm
depth: (left tasset): 8.0 cm
weight: (left tasset): 0.55 kg

Period

16th/17th century

Date

circa 1590 to 1600

Provenance

bequeathed: Henderson, James Stewart 1933-03-16 (Filtered for: Applied Arts collection)

Mr James Stewart Henderson of 'Abbotsford', Downs Road, St Helen's Park, Hastings, Sussex

J.S. Henderson Bequest

Inscriptions/Marks

1. label
   Position: breastplate
   Method:
   Content: PB/6
   Description:
   
2. label
   Position: tassets
   Method:
   Content: PB.9
   Description:
   
3. mark
   Position: lames of the right tasset
   Method: filed
   Description: filed internally with V-shaped nicks representing construction marks
   

Other Notes

Accession Number

HEN.M.8B-1933 (Applied Arts)
(Reference Number: 17758; Input Date: 2001-01-02 / Last Edit: 2010-01-19)

Relationships with other objects

Part of:
HEN.M.8-1933