Cuirass: HEN.M.4B-1933

Maker(s)

Production: Unknown (Probably)

Entities

• Cuirass

Categories

• Armour

Description

Cuirass of anime construction, for light field use. The breastplate is of late 'peascod' form, with a high neck-opening and an outward-flanged lower edge. It is formed of fourteen upward-overlapping lames with arm-openings cut into the fourth to ninth of those lames. The outer ends of the fifth to ninth lames are each pierced with a pair of small holes that may at some time have served to stitch on a fabric or leather edging. The outer ends of the fourth lame have file-roped inward turns, as do the edges of the neck-opening and the waist-flange. The turns at the outer ends of the fourth lame are each bordered by two externally-flush lining-rivets. The turn at the neck-opening is bordered by seven externally-flush lining-rivets. An eighth rivet, formerly located just to the right of centre, is now represented only by a vacant hole that has broken out into a later, crudely-pierced wiring-hole. The turn at the waist-flange is bordered by eighteen round-headed lining-rivets with circular internal washers that retain a leather lining-band lacking its right end. Riveted at each end of the waist-flange is a modern turning-pin with circular internal and external washers, for the attachment of a later-associated skirt. The centre of the waist-flange is crudely pierced at its angle with a later wiring-hole. The first to fourth lames are connected to one another at their centres by a pair of modern internal leathers secured by single rivets, all of which are externally-flush except for those in the fourth lame, which are round-headed with octagonal internal washers. The first to fourth lames were further connected to one another at their outer ends by internal leathers secured by pairs of rivets. The leathers and rivets are now missing. To compensate for their loss, the lames have been rigidly secured to one another by round-headed rivets occupying the outer of the holes for the attachment of the leathers and the overlying construction-holes formerly occupied by purely decorative, round-headed rivets. The first lame is pierced between its inner leathers with a pair of rivet-holes that do not relate to any holes in the second lame. The fourth to fourteenth lames are connected to one another at their centres by modern round-headed sliding-rivets with square, internal washers. They are further connected to one another by eight modern, internal leathers secured by single rivets which are externally-flush, except for those in the fourteenth lame, which are round-headed with octagonal internal washers. The outer leathers at each side now only connect the tenth to fourteenth lames, but originally extended to the eighth and ninth lames. The rivet-holes in the latter lames now remain vacant. The rivets that should have secured the second from right leather to the eighth lame, and the second from left leather to the sixth lame have been omitted. The fourth and fifth lames are rigidly secured to one another at their outer ends by modern, round-headed rivets with square internal washers. The rivets occupy possibly modern holes. Further modern rivet-holes are pierced to the left and below the left rivet. That below it has broken and to the lower edge of the lame. The fifth and sixth lames were also at one time rigidly secured to one another by rivets occupying modern holes. The holes are now vacant, and those in the sixth lame have broken out to its outer edges. The left end of the eighth lame is pierced with a small wiring-hole. Construction-holes in the sixth to fourteenth lames, aligning with the underlying rivet-holes for the attachment of the third leather in from each side are occupied by purely decorative, modern, round-headed rivets. The left end of the first lame is folded inwards and shaped to form the front end of an integral hinge that links it to the left end of the corresponding lame of the backplate. The folded end is secured by two externally-flush rivets. The right end of the first lame of the breastplate is pierced with a pair of holes that accommodate studs riveted or formerly riveted at the right end of the corresponding lame of the backplate. The upper hole has been enlarged. The outer ends of the fourth lame are pierced with large keyhole-slots that engage mushroom-headed studs riveted, or formerly riveted at the outer ends of the corresponding lame of the backplate. Part of the composite half armour HEN.M.4A-D-1933

Notes

History note: From the collection of Seymour Lucas. Mr James Stewart Henderson of 'Abbotsford', Downs Road, St Helen's Park, Hastings, Sussex

Legal notes

J.S. Henderson Bequest

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1933-03-16) by Henderson, James Stewart

Dating

16th Century-17th Century#
Production date: circa AD 1600

Note

The cuirass is bright with a mottled light to medium patination overall. Its metal shows extensive evidence of delamination. The surface of the meal is scored by heavy mechanical cleaning.

The top four lames of the cuirass at both the front and the rear are associated with the remainder of the cuirass, and originally formed a separate collar. Vacant rivet-holes at the centres of both of the first lames, and discontinuities in the lines of the leathering-rivets between the third and fourth lames at the rear, suggest that the collar itself might be composite, although its lames otherwise match each other well. The arm-openings of the cuirass show evidence of having been cut, possibly to remove a turn.