On someone's personal webpage, a unique armour can be seen which is labeled as having belonged to "Claude de Vaudrey, Chamberlain of Burgundy." It features a great bascinet with a bellows visor, and a tonlet skirt. Date is given as c. 1500. Maybe this Claude de Vaudrey may have been among the retinue of Francis I at the Field of the Cloth of Gold tournament and participated in the combat on foot there, as the style of armour is similar to what Henry VIII wore at that tournament, although this is just a guess.

What I want to know is, where exactly this harness is located. Furthermore, if anyone has any additional information on Claude de Vaudrey, let me know, because I can find next to nothing online. And lastly, which other tonlet armours survive? I know there is one at the Royal Armouries which was worn by Henry VIII; I have also seen photos of a tonlet suit worn by Charles V.

Images:

[ Linked Image ]

[ Linked Image ]

This harness is housed in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, Austria - commonly referred to as the Neue Burg collections. It's dated to 1495 in official publications. I saw it in person there a couple of years ago, and it's a great looking harness. It is displayed beside another beautiful, gilded tournament harness originally belonging to Maximilian I himself, dated to 1508.

For your enjoyment... Always happy to share my scarce photography!

[ Linked Image ]

[ Linked Image ]

And looking through my collection, I found a nice photograph of each of three other suits... Two are those you mentioned, that belonging to Henry VIII (dated to 1520), that of Charles V (1525) and the latest example belonging to Archduke Ferdinand of Spain (1547). -Note- The images are in chronological order, as stated above.

[ Linked Image ]

[ Linked Image ]

[ Linked Image ]

Thank you for those photos! I will definitely have to visit that museum if I am in Austria.

Well, I'm off to see the family in Austria in October, and I'll be staying in Vienna for two days. Going to the KHM is already part of the plan, so I'll try to get some better pictures if anyone is interested (I'll have to check the museum rules on photography)?

Johan Schubert Moen

Been there a month ago, no photo permit necessary, but I think tripods aren't allowed. There are several other places of interest there, I spent 4 days running through museums and galleries. I still have to process all the photos...

The KHM has one of the best collections of armour in the world, if not -the- best, so it's kind of a must if you're ever in town.

It's on my itinarary whenever I get over there, anyway.