Skip to main content

Backplate (body armour): HEN.M.15C-1933

Object information

Awaiting location update

Maker(s)

Unknown

Entities

Categories

Description

Backplate, for use by a cuirassier. The backplate is formed in one piece with a narrow waist-flange. The arm-openings and the high narrow neck-openings are bordered by lining-rivets. A modern buff leather shoulder-strap is riveted at the top of each shoulder. A modern shoulder strap is also incorrectly riveted at each side of the neck-opening. A pierced stud, possibly for the attachment of a sword belt is riveted at the left side of the backplate. A modern buff leather strap, forming a waist-belt, is riveted at each side of the waist. The left strap terminates in a single-ended, tongued iron buckle. The backplate is pierced just to the inside of the left shoulder with a large, modern hole. Its waist-flange is pierced midway along each side with a modern hole for the attachment of a skirt. The backplate has plain inward turns at its main edges and is decorated with five vertical, slightly diverging bands formed of pairs of incised lines. It is of late 17th century date and was originally intended for use by the harquebusier. Part of the composite three-quarter armour HEN.M.15A-F-1933.

Notes

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

Legal notes

J.S. Henderson Bequest

Measurements and weight

Depth: 15.8 cm
Height: 40.2 cm
Weight: 1.29 kg
Width: 36.5 cm

Acquisition and important dates

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

Dating

17th Century, Late
Circa 1670 CE - 1700 CE

Note

Now is a russet colour overall, but was originally bright or in parts, perhaps blued

Components of the work

Shoulder-straps composed of leather ( modern)
Waist-belt composed of leather ( modern)
Buckles composed of iron (metal)
Decoration
Parts

Materials used in production

Steel

Techniques used in production

Hammering : The backplate is formed in one piece with a narrow waist-flange; hammered, shaped, riveted, with decorative incised lines
Forming

Identification numbers

Accession number: HEN.M.15C-1933
Primary reference Number: 17950
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Friday 8 January 2016 Last processed: Friday 8 December 2023

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Backplate (body armour)" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/17950 Accessed: 2024-12-22 10:05:27

Citation for Wikipedia

To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:

{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/17950 |title=Backplate (body armour) |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-12-22 10:05:27|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

API call for this record

To call these data via our API (remember this needs to be authenticated) you can use this code snippet:

https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/api/v1/objects/object-17950

Sign up for updates

Updates about future exhibitions and displays, family activities, virtual events & news. You'll be the first to know...