Gauntlet: HEN.M.12J-1933

Maker(s)

Unknown

Entities

• Gauntlet

Categories

• Armour

Description

Gauntlet for the left hand. Of finger form, for field use, with later etched decoration, composed of elements of a similar period and fashion. Formed of a fairly long, flared cuff, three metacarpal plates, a knuckle-plate and the main plate of a thumb-defence. The cuff is formed of a single plate with a forward-overlapping join at the inside of the wrist, secured by two externally-flush rivets. It is medially-ridged at the outside where its upper edge rises to a strongly rounded central point. At the inside, both its upper and lower edges are cut away in concave curves. The upper edge of the entire cuff, and the lower edge of the inside of the cuff have plain, inward turns. The upper edge of the cuff is pierced with a small, modern wiring-hole at both its inside and its outside, and with a larger hole at its front. A line of five modern, round-headed lining-rivets encircle the upper end of the cuff. Those at the inside of the wrist are fitted with a square internal washer. The lower edge of the outside of the cuff is overlapped by a series of three upward-overlapping metacarpal-plates, the last of which is itself overlapped by a knuckle-plate. The lower end of the knuckle-plate is shaped between the fingers. The incomplete front ends of the first and second metacarpal-plates are restored with riveted internal patches. The front end of the third lame is pierced with two later holes. The cuff, the metacarpal-plates and the knuckle-plates are connected to one another by modern round-headed rivets with square or circular internal washers. Vacant holes at the lower edge of the cuff, just below and to the inside of each of its present articulating-rivets, and just to the outside of the rear one, may in part represent former articulation-points. The knuckle-plate is fitted at the point of each knuckle with a modern round-headed rivet for the attachment of the missing finger-scales. The rivets at the first, second and fourth knuckles are fitted with circular internal washers that retain fragments of the leathers of the finger-scales. Attached by a modern buff-leather hinge to the front edge of the gauntlet is the main plate of a modern thumb-defence. The hinge is secured to the gauntlet by the same rivet that connects the third metacarpal-plate to the knuckle-plate. The hinge is secured to the rear of the main plate of the thumb-defence by a round-headed rivet with a circular internal washer. The main plate is of lozenge shape, with a truncated lower edge where it is fitted with a pair of round-headed rivets with circular internal washers that retain the remains of a leather for the missing thumb-scales. The main plate is medially-ridged from the point of the knuckle to its upper end. A transverse step runs from the point of the knuckle to the rear edge of the main plate.
The cuff is etched with three raised bands of trophies on a stippled and blackened ground, repeated in a narrower band around the upper edge of the cuff. The vertical bands are bordered to either side, and the band around the cuff is bordered to its inside by three narrower bands of which the central one is decorated with guilloche, and the outer ones are plain. The decoration of the cuff is modern. The metacarpal-plates are etched with a medial band of now indistinct ornament which is bordered to either side by three narrower bands of which the central one is decorated with roping, and the outer ones are plain. The upper edges of the metacarpal-plates and the knuckle-plate are each bordered by four narrow bands of which the first is decorated with roping, the third is decorated with a continuous series of circular pellets, and the second and fourth are plain. The knuckle-plate is decorated at its lower end with four roped vertical bands, each of which is bordered to either side by two narrower, plain ones. The bands issue from the points of the knuckles. The decoration of the metacarpal-plates and the knuckle-plate is probably modern. The main plate of the thumb-defence is etched medially with a band of guilloche, bordered to either side by single, narrower, plain bands. Part of the composite half armour HEN.M.12A-J-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

17th Century#
19th Century
Circa 1630 - Circa 1800 - 1900

Note

North Italian

The gauntlet is bright with a light to medium patination on the outside of the cuff and thumb-defence, and heavier pitting and patination on the inside of the cuff and on the metacarpal-plates and the knuckle-plate.

The metacarpal-plates and the knuckle-plate have been associated with the cuff in modern times.