Vambrace: HEN.M.9H-1933

Maker(s)

Unknown

Entities

• Vambrace

Categories

• Armour

Description

Vambrace for the right arm, for field use. Formed of a tubular upper cannon with a turner, a winged bracelet couter of three lames, and a tubular lower cannon. The tubular turner has an inward-overlapping join at its rear, secured by a pair of externally-flush rivets. Its upper edge, which slopes down to the inside of the arm, has a file-roped inward turn bordered by a plain, raised rib. The outside of the turner is articulated twice along strongly concave, horizontal lines. The three sections of the turner overlap upwards and are connected to one another at their outer ends by modern, round-headed rivets. Attached by a single externally-flush rivet within the upper edge of the turner at the inside of the arm, is an iron strip which is bent over the edge and turned downwards to form a flat hook that serves to restrain the strap of the associated pauldron. Three round-headed rivets at the upper edge of the top section of the turner occupy holes that originally served to attach a leather tab pierced with lace-holes. Riveted to the outside of the lowest section of the turner is a T-shaped turning-pin that serves to engage a slot cut into the lower edge of the associated pauldron. The lower edge of the turner is bordered by a raised rib, the hollowed underside of which locks over and rotates on the outward-flanged upper edge of the upper cannon of the vambrace. The upper cannon is of tubular form with an inward-overlapping join at the rear secured by three externally-flush rivets of which the central one is partly pulled out. Its lower edge has a plain, inward turn at the inside of the elbow where it is cut away in a concave curve. The lower edge is decorated on the outside of the arm with a single incised line, now much worn. The couter is formed of three lames that overlap outwards from the central lame which is strongly shaped to the point of the elbow and completely encircles the arm with an inward-overlapping join at the rear secured by two externally-flush rivets. The central lame expands to a large wing at the front, and a smaller one at the rear. The upper and lower edges of the wings have file-roped inward turns bordered by file-roped, raised ribs. The central lame is decorated medially with a file-roped , raised rib that extends from just behind the point of the elbow to the inside of the elbow at the front, and is enclosed by a pair of grooves. Its upper and lower edges are decorated between the wing with pairs of incised lines. The lames of the couter are connected to one another and to the upper and lower cannons at their outer ends by modern round-capped rivets with square internal washers. The rivets that connect the couter to the upper and lower cannons have brass caps. The front rivet that connects the central and lowest lames of the couter lacks its internal washer, while the rear rivet that connects the same two lames is fitted with a circular internal washer. The upper and lower lames are pierced with holes for former articulating-rivets just to the inside of the present articulating-rivets. The central lame is pierced with a hole for a former articulating-rivet just to the outside of its present lower rear articulating-rivet. The lower edge of the upper lame is repaired towards its front edge with a riveted internal patch. The tapering, tubular lower cannon is formed of an inner and an outer plate, the former fitting within the latter. The plates are connected to one another at the rear by a pair of modern external hinges, and fastened at the front by a plain, circular stud riveted at the centre of the front edge of the inner plate that engages a corresponding hole in the front edge of the outer plate. The hinges are secured at either end by single brass-capped rivets with square or octagonal internal washers, and are slightly shaped around the rivets. The upper edge of the lower cannon has a plain inward turn at the inside of the elbow where it is cut away in a concave curve. The upper edge is decorated at the outside of the arm with a single incised line, now much worn. The lower edge of the lower cannon is decorated with a file-roped, inward turn bordered by a plain raised rib. The lower end of the outer plate is crudely pierced at its rear with a large hole, probably for the suspension of gauntlets. 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
Circa 1580 - 1590

Note

North Italian

The vacant holes for former articulating rivets in all three lames of the couter indicate that its central lame is associated with the remainder of the vambrace. The character of roping of the central lame suggests that it was made about twenty to thirty years earlier than the rest of the vambrace.

The vambrace is bright with a medium pitting and patination overall, except on the central lame of its couter which is somewhat more heavily pitted and patinated. The surface of its metal shows heavy scoring resulting from mechanical cleaning.