I was browsing through European Arms and Armor by Charles Henry Ashdown recently, and in the top corner of a page about 3/4 of the way through the book, there was a small illustration (done by the author, not a contemporary artist) of a peascod breastplate with several horizontal segments. I believe the caption said that the breastplate was laminated, and belong to the Tower of London's armoury. Can anyone certify this?...this illustration was odd and unlike any other armor i've ever seen. Thanks and Happy New Years, -Daniel[/url]

what page? sounds like an anime breastplate.

Sorry, I the misplaced book before. The illustration is at the top left of page 284. I am quite suspicous of the author's credibility, due to many oddly shaped illustrations of various types of armor. This particular breastplate however, baffles me the most. Like I said, it cites the Tower of London..... I know they had "jacket" peascod breastplates that fastened to down the middle, but segments seem farciful.

Thanks! It just seems so weird...so totally "out-of-period"

This is just conjecture on my part, but the Italian Renaissance saw an idealization of "classical" (i.e. Greco-Roman) design. That showed in their literature, their art, their philosophy, and their arms and armour. I wouldn't doubt it if this style of breastplate was at least partially inspired by the Roman lorica segmentata, though as I said, that's entirely a personal thought, not something I've done any research into.

Yeah, that's just an anime-styled breastplate, a form of armour typically Italian

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There were a series of suits made in this style at the Greenwich armoury in the 1550's and the type stayed popular in the east with Polish cavalry until well into the 17th century.