Breastplate (body armour): HEN.M.123-1933

Maker(s)

Unknown (Probably)

Entities

• Breastplate (body armour)
• Tassets
• breastplate with associated tassets

Categories

• Armour

Description

Breastplate with asociated tassets, for use by a pikeman. The breastplate is of late 'peascod' form, with a large neck-opening and a short, integral skirt. The arm-openings and the neck-openings have plain inward turns accompanied by single incised lines. The lateral edges of the skirt have plain inward turns accompanied by recessed borders. Riveted at each side of the chest is a pierced stud and swivel-hook to engage and secure the shoulder-straps of the backplate.
The remains of modern shoulder-straps are incorrectly riveted at each shoulder of the breastplate. Riveted at each side of the skirt is a pair of hinges that connect the tassets. The hinges for the right tasset have nearly square terminals at their upper ends, and trefoil terminals at their lower ends. The hinges for the left tasset have obtusely-pointed terminals at their upper and lower ends.
The tassets are of trapezoidal form, widening slightly to their lower ends. The right is embossed to simulate five lames. The left is embossed to simulated six lames of which the last is longer than the rest. The upper edges of the simulated lames are decorated with single incised lines. The lateral and lower edges of each tasset have plain inward turns accompanied by recessed borders. The inner border of the right tasset is stepped. The borders of the right tasset are occupied by round-headed lining-rivets. Both tassets are decorated with three vertical lines of round-headed rivets.
The tassets do not form an exact pair and are associated with the breastplate. The tassets might conceivably be of slightly later date than the breastplate.

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 1630

Note

The breastplate and tassets are heavily pitted and patinated.