After becoming intrigued by a passage in King James I Basilikon Doron that taks about plate sleeves and other forms of concealed armour I thought I'd start a discussion on the subject.

Here is the thread on plate sleeves
http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=23587

Here is an example of a plate hat. Judge John Bradshaw presided over the trial of Charles I and feared being shot from the gellery so he wore this plate-reinforced hat. It is currently in the Ashmolean Museum
http://www.ashmolean.org/ash/objectofmonth/2004-03/relobjects.htm

What other examples of concealed armour have people found?

---

 Attachment: 48.99 KB

Photo taken by Craig Thornber
http://www.thornber.net/cheshire/htmlfiles/congleton.html

haha awesome hat!

Ive at least seen 2 or 3 examples of those hats in the army museum in Paris. They look real funny. One of them was more like a cowboy hat. Furthermore ofcourse a Kazaghand and other types of armours based on more or less the same idea. I know that in the 1e ww trench soldiers would wear a plate torso protection under their uniform coats. Actually only seen one on a photo but anyway. And also that one battle where Parthian Heavy Cav would cover up their armour with leather parts to give the Romans the idea they would be fighting lighter troops. Forgot the name of the battle though. Also Persian troops covered their armour frequently. If they had any offcourse. (officers and household troops) I cant think of many other forms of armour that was concealed. Interesting thread though!

The Japanese were really big on concealed armour. Kusari gusoku was often worn under "street clothes".

For example, this shirt had a middle layer of chain.

[ Linked Image ]

And this was probably worn under a wealthy owners clothing:

[ Linked Image ]

There are a small number of surviving Ottoman armoured kaftans. Sotheby's sale #6655, lot 1340 was one example. Mail over the back from neck to small of back, arms down to the elbows, and front down to a little lower than the back. Looks like a normal thick kaftan.

An interesting subject as I have been studying Japanese armored clothing including the concealed types. It would be nice to see some varieties from Europe to see if the Japanese ones were copied from European ones. I have read that the "manchira", an armored vest and the "gappa" travel cape were influenced by Portuguese garments.

Here is a manju no wa which is a type of armored vest that has flaps which wrap from the back, around the arm pit area and tie in front. This one is completely lined with kusari (chain armor) and covered on both sides by a luxurious covering of cloth.

I think I remember reading somewhere that when the Salvation Army started moving into Ireland, that they had groups of women that did their street corner appeals for them. These women were said to wear iron lined bonnets with there uniforms because of several injuries sustained by being hit with rocks. I'll have to do a bit more digging to find the exact reference.

Also in a 13th C manuscript I found a picture of a type of helmet presumably worn under the mail coif. Not sure how hidden that would have been considered. Several other websites make mention of "secret helms", but I can't recall having seen any reference on the historical lines for the eras they claim to have come from.

Philippe de Commynes has this on the Constable of St-Pol:

Quote:

The Constable arrived first and he had with him all, or most, of his troops, for he had mustered there three hundred men-at-arms, and he wore his breastplate under a loose coat.

I don't know how common this was, but it's the reference I quote for wearing a breastplate (fairly often) between my doublet and my coat in my 15th-century kit. Makes for a nice piece of martial bling.

A Kamisol, a vest plate garment worn by Prince Eugen together with cavalry breast and back plate at the beginning of the 18th century. Note the sleeves of mail that give extra protection to the arms. These would have been concealed under the dark red uniform that is shown on a contemporary portrait of the prince in his battledress.

---

 Attachment: 115.61 KB

Plutarch says that during the conspiracy of Catalina, Cicero wore a thorax and deliberately allowed it to be seen under the shoulders of his chiton when he was speaking. Given the date and location, this was probably a mail shirt with the tube-and-yoke cut. Source: Plutarch Cicero 14.8

The Strategikon of Maurice talks about coverng armour with a cloak to prevent the enemy from spotting it at a distance, but I don't have the reference or the Greek.