Breastplate (body armour): HEN.M.20B-1933

Maker(s)

Production: Unknown (Possibly)

Entities

• Breastplate (body armour)

Categories

• Armour

Description

Breastplate, for field use, of great weight. Formed in one piece in the late 'peascod' fashion, with a flange at the waist. The arm-openings, the neck-opening and the waist-flange have file-roped inward turns bordered by single incised lines. The incised line at the neck-opening projects downwards as a narrow chevron at its centre. Riveted at each shoulder is a modern, single-ended tongued brass buckle with a roller to receive the shoulder-straps of the backplate. The buckle is located just below a vacant hole that may represent its original attachment-point. Incorrectly riveted beneath each armpit is a modern buff leather strap to connect the breastplate to a backplate. Riveted midway along each side of the waist, just above the angle of the flange, is a large hinge which is fitted at its distal end with a bolt and wing-nut for the attachment of tassets. The hinges may represent a later modification. Part of the composite armour HEN.M.20A-H-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, Early#
19th Century
Circa 1610 - 1900

Note

The breastplate is bright with a partly mottled light to medium patination. Its surface is heavily scarred by mechanical cleaning.