Production: Unknown (Possibly)
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.
History note: Mr James Stewart Henderson of 'Abbotsford', Downs Road, St Helen's Park, Hastings, Sussex.
J.S. Henderson Bequest
Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1933-03-16) by Henderson, James Stewart
17th Century, Early#
Production date:
circa
AD 1600
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.
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
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
Accession number: HEN.M.118-1933
Primary reference Number: 18597
Stable URI
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Applied Arts
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
To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:
{{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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