Gauntlets: M.13F-1941

Maker(s)

Unknown (Possibly)

Entities

• Gauntlets
• pair of gauntlets

Categories

• Armour

Description

Pair of gauntlets, of mitten form, for field use. Each formed of a short, flared cuff, a wrist-plate, two metacarpal-plates, a knuckle-plate and a thumb-defence of three scales. The cuff is open at the inside of the wrist. It has a straight edge bordered by a narrow, recessed band and seven externally-flush lining-rivets of which the central one has lost its flat, internal head, and each of the outer ones has been replaced; in the case of the left one, with round-headed rivets possessing circular, internal washers. The replacement rivets retain a modern, buff-leather strap across the inside of the wrist. The edge of the cuff is pierced at its centre with a modern wiring-hole. The lower end of the cuff overlaps the wrist-plate and is linked through it to the upward-overlapping metacarpal-plates and knuckle-plate. The plates are in all cases linked to one another at their outer ends by modern, externally-flush rivets. The rivet that connects the inner ends of the second metacarpal-plate and the knuckle-plate of the left gauntlet has been fitted with a circular, external washer to compensate for the fact that the hole in the knuckle-plate has broken out. The corresponding hole in the second metacarpal-plate has also broken out and been repaired by an internal patch secured by two externally-flush rivets. The inner end of the metacarpal-plate extends in each case beyond the knuckle-plate and is embossed over the first knuckle of the thumb. It fitted there with a thumb-defence of three outward-overlapping scales, of which the second one is embossed over the second knuckle of the thumb, and the third and last has a rounded and shaped end which in the case of the left gauntlet appears to be decorated with a thumb-nail. The modern, internal leather to which the thumb-scales are attached are secured within the second metacarpal-plate by a pair of externally-flush rivets. The first, second and third thumb-scales are secured to their internal leathers by two, four and two rivets respectively on the left gauntlet, and one, two and two rivets respectively on the right gauntlet. The thumb-scales of the right gauntlet are associated; as possibly are those of the left also. The ends of the knuckle-plates of both gauntlets are embossed over the individual knuckles and fitted with pairs of externally-flush rivets to secure the internal leathers for the missing finger-scales. The rivets of the right gauntlet retain fragments of the leather for the second and third fingers. The inner rivet for the third finger of the left gantlet is missing. On both gauntlets the point of each knuckle has been crudely pierced, perhaps to attach later finger-scales since removed. Modern, buff-leather straps are riveted across the insides of the knuckles. The rivets that retain them are flat-headed with circular, internal washers, except for that at the inner end of the right gauntlet which is externally flush with a flat, internal head. The last occupies the outer of the pair of rivet-holes for the missing scales of the first finger. The rivet at the outer end of the same gauntlet occupies the later hole at the point of the fourth knuckle. On the left gauntlet the inner rivet occupies the later hole at the point of the first knuckle, and the outer rivet occupies the inner of the pair of rivet-holes for the missing scales of the fourth finger. Part of the composite Spanish armour M.13A-K-1941.

Notes

History note: From the collection of Dr Bashford Dean, Riverdale, Long Island, New York. According to a manuscript note by F.H. Cripps-Day, dated December 1926, in his grangerised copy of G.F. Laking, A Record of European Armour and Arms, [section on jacks in volume titled 'mail'], now preserved in the library of the Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds, 'I exchanged [a jack] with Dean for a Gothic Spanish suit made up. I wanted a Gothic suit but parted with a rare piece'. The jack, from a house in Tonbridge, Kent, is now part of the Bashford Dean Memorial Collection in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Mr Francis Henry Cripps-Day.

Legal notes

Given by Mr F.H. Cripps-Day