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Cuirass: HEN.M.118-1933

Object information

Current Location: Gallery 31 (Armoury)

Maker(s)

Production: Unknown (Possibly)

Entities

Categories

Description

Cuirass, of 'anime' form, for field use, with a breastplate of shot-proof weight. Formed of a breastplate and a backplate, each retaining parts of a later-associated integral collar.
The breastplate, which is of late 'peascod' fashion, is formed of nine upward-overlapping lames of which the lowest is flanged outwards to receive a skirt of one lame. The first is cut at its upper edge with a narrow neck-opening, and the first six are cut away at their outer ends to receive moveable gussets at the arm-openings. The lames are connected to one another by brass-capped, round-headed sliding-rivets at their outer ends, and by four internal leathers at their centres. It is possible that the two central leathers replace a single broad central leather. A double-ended, tongued, iron buckle to receive the shoulder-straps of the backplate, is riveted at each shoulder of the first lame. Riveted within the upper edge of the first lame is the lowest lame of a collar. It is medially-ridged, has an obtusely-pointed lower edge, and is pierced at each shoulder with a keyhole-slot to engage mushroom-headed studs formerly riveted at either side of the rear section of the collar.
The backplate is formed of eleven upward-overlapping lames of which the lowest is flanged outwards to form a short skirt, the first is cut at its upper edge with a broad, shallow neck-opening, and the first seven are cut away at their outer ends to form arm-openings. The lames are connected to one another by brass-capped, round-headed rivets at their outer ends, by brass-capped, round-headed rivets at their centres, and by internal leathers located to either side of the latter. The central row of rivets may possibly replace a further internal leather. Riveted at each side of the lowest lame is a modern leather strap forming a waist-belt. The left strap terminates in a single-ended, tongued iron buckle. Riveted within the upper edge of the first lame are the lowest three lames of a collar. The lower edge of the lowest lame has a slightly convex lower edge. The lames are connected to one another with three internal leathers.
The main edges of the cuirass and collar have plain inward turns, while the secondary edges are bevelled. The breastplate and the backplate are each decorated with three slightly diverging bands formed of shallow incised lines, now much rubbed. Similar incised lines border the arm-openings.

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#
Production date: circa AD 1600

Note

German or Bohemian

The cuirass has a black finish, now partly rubbed and partly oxidised to a russet colour.

The cuirass would not originally have been fitted with an integral collar. The lowest lame of the backplate, and the skirt-lame of the breastplate appear from their slightly different colour to have been replaced.

This unusual breastplate is made from 9 upward-overlapping lames, or plates, held together internally by leather straps and rivets. This type of construction is known as an ‘anime’ and is quite rare. This example is very thick and heavy, it weighs 4.82 kg, and was probably made to be shot proof. The plate at the top was added later to form a collar.

Components of the work

Waist-belt composed of leather ( modern)
Buckle composed of iron (metal)
Sliding-rivet Caps composed of brass (alloy)
Internal Leathers composed of leather
Backplate Depth 16 cm Height 42.5 cm Weight 1.9 kg Width 33.5 cm
Breastplate Depth 18 cm Height 41 cm Weight 2.9 kg Width 33.2 cm
Decoration
Parts

Materials used in production

Steel

Techniques used in production

Hammered : The breastplate, which is of late 'peascod' fashion, is formes of nine upward-overlapping lames of which the lowest is flanged outwards to receive a skirt of one lame; the backplate is formed of eleven upward-overlapping lames of which the lowest is flanged outwards to form a skirt, the first is cut at its upper edge with a broad, shallow neck-opening, and the first seven are cut away at their outer ends to form arm-openings; hammered, shaped, riveted, with recessed borders and file-roped decoration
Patinating
Formed

Inscription or legends present

  • Text: PB/31a
  • Location: Breastplate
  • Type: Tag
  • Text: PB/31b
  • Location: Backplate
  • Type: Tag

Identification numbers

Accession number: HEN.M.118-1933
Primary reference Number: 18597
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Tuesday 13 April 2021 Last processed: Thursday 7 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) "Cuirass" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/18597 Accessed: 2024-11-08 16:51:49

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{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/18597 |title=Cuirass |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-08 16:51:49|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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