Pauldron: HEN.M.9G-1933

Maker(s)

Unknown

Entities

• Pauldron

Categories

• Armour

Description

Pauldron for the left shoulder for field use. Formed of seven lames that overlap outwards from the third. The first to third lames, which are medially ridged and slightly shaped to the point of the shoulder, extend inwards over the chest and back. The third lame is expanded downwards to the bottom of the fifth lame at the front, and to the level of the bottom of the sixth lame at the rear. The expanded portions have strongly rounded lower inner corners and are flanged at their outer edges where they overlap the lames beneath them. The fourth to seventh lames extend only to the inside of the arm. The rear edge of the third lame, and the front end of the fifth lame are each repaired with large, riveted, internal patches. The front end of the sixth lame is repaired with a smaller, riveted, internal patch. The first to third lames are connected to one another at the front and rear ends by modern, brass-capped, round-headed rivets of brass with square internal washers. The fourth to seventh lames are connected to one another, and were originally also connected to a turner beneath them, by modern, brass-capped, round-headed sliding-rivets with square or octagonal internal washers at their rear ends, and by modern internal leathers at their front ends and centres. The sliding-rivet that connects the fourth to the fifth lame has been replaced by one of solid brass. Both leathers are secured to the fourth to fifth lames by single, externally-flush rivets. The front leather is secured to the third lame by a single, solid brass rivet with an octagonal, internal washer. The central leather is secured to the third lame by a pair of such rivets and washers. Construction-holes in the third to seventh lames aligning with the underlying holes for the rivets that attach the front leather are occupied by modern, purely decorative, brass-capped, round-headed rivets. Attached to the first lame, at the apex of the shoulder, by a single round-headed rivet is a modern, single-ended, tongued iron buckle with a trapezoidal loop and plain, rectangular hasp. The buckle served to suspend the pauldron from a strap that issued from the side of the collar with which it was mounted. The buckle may originally, or at some time, have been attached by a rivet located just below and to the front of the rivet that presently retains it. Attached by a solid brass, round-headed rivet with a square internal washer at either end of the seventh lame is a modern strap which fastens round the inside of the arm by means of a double-ended, tongued, iron buckle that terminates the front strap. The buckle is of oval form, decorated peripherally with punched dots. It has a plain hasp with a rounded end, secured by a single, round-headed rivet. The lower edge of the seventh lame is pierced at its centre with a later, horizontal, rectangular slot that served to receive a turning-pin that was at one time riveted to the turner of the vambrace with which it has been associated in modern times. The straps, buckle and slot represent incorrect modern modifications. The front of the third lame of the pauldron is pierced at its centre and near the armpit with large, circular, modern holes, presumably to allow the attachment of a reinforce. Two smaller holes are pierced in the third lame below the rivet that secures the front leather to it, and on a line with the leather. They may have been used to connect the lames of the pauldron together when the leather broke. The main edges of the first to third lames of the pauldron are decorated with file-roped, inward turns accompanied by a recessed border. The border is occupied by a total of seventeen brass-capped, round-headed rivets with square, internal washers. The central rivet at the rear of the third lame, located at the point where the edge has been patched, lacks its internal washer. The secondary edges of the lames are bordered by single incised lines and decorated medially with V-shaped nicks. The nick in the lower edge of the third lame is broken out. The third lame is decorated with a pair of file-roped, scrolling ribs that rise from the front and rear of the armpit and confront each other just below the point of the shoulder. Part of the composite armour HEN.M.9A-K-1933

Notes

History note: 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, Late
Production date: circa AD 1570

Note

North Italian

The pauldron is bright with a medium, slightly mottled pitting and patination overall.