Okay, well close to 59 lbs./ 26.9 kg ( the barbuta alone weighs 6 lb 11oz. / 3.05 kg ). and bearing 51 marks

The "Avant" armour , c. 1440-5, Milanese .

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Photos : The 7th Park Lane Arms fair catalogue , D.A. Oliver

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The Seventh Park Lane Arms Fair catalogue has a most interesting article, by Robert C. Woosnam Savage , concerning this Milanese treasure ( not to mention it's other excellent bits of writing such as "Observations on the Dating of Scottish Basket Hilted Swords" , by C.R. Rolland {a Mac personal favorite :-} , and the ever wonderul Ewart Oakeshott writing on "Bastard Swords" !

Mac

Ah, I've always liked that harness. I've heard that there is some doubt whether or not that's the original helmet, though I don't remember why.

That's one of my all time favorite styles as well. Thanks Mac!~

Mac,


That harness style is referred to as "Milanese". Gothic armour is far more angular, while Milanese is characterized by "wide smooth surfaces" ( qouted from Robert Macpherson). The helm is inappropriate for the harness, an armet was the actual type originally associated with it. I believe Bob Reed said the Barbute was placed there by a 19th century curator. But you are right , It is a nice harness. The penultimate type of this style is shown on the Funerary of Richard Beauchamp.

Milanese armour or indeed the Italian manufacturers made armour of a very rounded sort of "humanesc" for domestic
use but did manufacture "gothic" armours for the export market . The Italian export gothic was styill more rounded in
form than what was being produced elsewhere on the continent ,especially in Germany , but typically had larger
elbow cops or couters , more fluting ( still much less than seen on german gothic harness) and the inclusion
of a sallet helm with a long tail . The plates on Italian "gothic " gothic harness didn't exibit the sharp pointed look
either in the shaping done with the hammer or the outline when cut out that was typified by the German made
"gothic" harness . The term "gothic " has become something of a catchall phrase for about 1440-1500 that
leeds to a little confusion when reffering to armour . Made odder by the fact that gothic was originally refering
to the arcitecture of the period ( more on church's and cathederals(sp)).

Hi Allan

Interesting .... thank you !

Here's a few more fun facts of interest, concerning this suit !

"The armour is thought to have been made by the following armourers .....
The breastplate, backplate, and skirt (bearing the stamp of a Crowned I and Crowned A ) by Giovanni and Ambrogio Corio
(the ZA stamp is also for Giovanni, deriving from Zoan = Iohannes); the pauldrons ( bearing the stamp of a Crowned BE and a Crowned B ) by Bellino Corio , the owner of a workshop; the vambraces (bearing the stamp DS ) by Dionisio Corio, originally a journeyman; the cuisses and greaves (bearing the stamp GI ) by Giovanni di Garavelle ; the right gaunlet (stamped Cross over M ) by the Missaglia workshop ; the barbuta (stamped PR ) by Provasio da Milano, though it has been suggested that it may have been made by an armourer called Pietro.
Bartel made the left gauntlet, and did so probably incorrectly, as he based it entirely on the existing right one, and this gave the gauntlet an extra plate which on other surviving gauntlets of this type is not present. He did not restore mail of lames on the fingers either and these may well have been present" .

"The barbuta contains it's original lining, padded with tow, and rush grass(binsengras)".
"The right gauntlet still retains part of it's original lining at the cuff, as do the cuisses".
"The mailed 'shoes' are still the only known surviving examples (with the exception of those from the Sanctuary delle S Maria delle Grazie, Mantua".

"It is also worth noting that when originally made the armour may have cost about 8 pounds 6s. 8d.
(this was the cost of "one harness de Milan complete that Sir John Cressy bought from three merchants in 1441". )

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* Ouoted text & photos : The Seventh Park Lane Arms Fair catalogue, D.A. Oliver .

Mac

Hey Mac ,

These are some dynamite close up photos of the individual pieces . You can pick up more of the constructional
details not present in the almost stock photo of this harness usually shown in print . Thanks for posting 'em .

Thanks for sharing the pics and comments.

Very nice.

I'm rather fond of this piece too...

Here's the armet that goes with it (and a replica on the right). It remained in the in Churburg collection when the harness was sold to Glasgow.


http://members.cox.net/jljonsn/history/kit15/Compare2.jpg

And a pic of a repro for the rest of the suit:..

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And here it is being put to use:
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Hi Jeff

Your harness is most awesome .....
And the workout your giving it ( ie: putting it to good use) is truely the effort of a man who takes his training seriously *g*

Thanks for sharing your training tips with us ;-) Slàinte , Mac

Hi Jeff

Question(s) ..... Did CF make your harness ? And .... what does your complete suit weigh ?

TIA , Mac

The cuirass & armet are Macpherson & the arms, legs & gauntlets are from Historic Enterprises. Te whole rig weighs 80 pounds, 10 of which is the armet and 15 is the maile gusseted arming doublet & skirt.. So, the weight comes out pretty close to the original.

Jeff,


Damn man, that is a sweet harness! The picture is all the more poignant since I am heading down to Dallas in 2 weeks for the fitting of my harness commission. To say I am excited would be a vast understatement!! LOl, as an aside, when you first completed your harness purchases, did you find yourself looking for excuses to put it on and walk arond in it? Or did you even bother with excuses and just don it for the hell of it ? I am reasonably sure I will find myself in the latter category :D Again, beautiful picture, wear it in good health Sir.




James

Jeff,

Thats a really spectacular looking harness! Who did the sword accompanying it in the photo?