King Wladislas harness question. -- myArmoury.com

Kirk B. · Posted: Tue 05 Feb, 2008 6:20 pm Post subject: King Wladislas harness question.

Does anyone know the maker of the “King Wladislas” harness?

Thanks in advance.

-Kirk

Vaclav Homan · Posted: Sat 09 Feb, 2008 4:48 am Post subject:

Which Wladislaus you mean. Czek King Wladislaus. Statue with harness from 14 century in Prague castel ?
There is more eventuality: Vaclav = Wenceslaus (very common statue with harness from 14 century).Kral Waclav (in current czech Vladislav) = King Wladislaus (statue with harness too) Wladislaw Jagelonsky = Wladislaus Jagello (harness picture).

William Knight · Posted: Sun 10 Feb, 2008 8:32 am Post subject:

Pretty sure that he means the Wladislaw/Vladislaus harness that's in Arms and Armour of the Medieval Knight by Edge and Paddock, which surivives and which is 16th century, so I would bet it's this one:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladislaus_II_of...gary[url].
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Vaclav Homan · Posted: Sun 10 Feb, 2008 11:50 am Post subject:

Vladislaus II Jagielo Hungaricus Bohemicus Rex. I don´t know where have harness statue, I would like see it.
Vladislaus (Bulgarian) have staute in Wawel in harness.

Kirk B. · Posted: Mon 11 Feb, 2008 2:55 pm Post subject:

I’m referring to Wladislas who ruled Bohemia & Hungary into the early 1500’s.

The harness style could be perhaps called transitional or early Maximilian. It has that overall shape but is non fluted.

I believe it may be part of the Wallace collection(?).

Thanks again,

-Kirk

Russ Thomas · Industry Professional

Hi Folks,

Sorry for this somewhat late reply to this thread. The Harness that you refer to is indeed in the Wallace Collection in London, (A.22) , ca. 1510. It is a beautiful harness, and one which I have been fortunate enough to examine. The lower legs are later restorations though. As I recall there are no makers stamps anywhere on this harness, Sir James Mann thought that the harness was possibly the work of Lorenz Helmschmied of Augsburg. I do not know on what evidence he based this idea, especially in view of the lack of any makers marks. Augsburg armourers usually used the town guild stamp of a pine cone on their armours in addition to their own personal stamps. This harness has none of these. And I think that in his supplement to the Wallace Collection catalogues in 1986, The late Vesey Norman dismissed the notion of its having been a product of the Helmschmied workshops.
I think that somewhere on the internet you can find an article by David Edge and Dr. Alan williams on this particular armour. The back plate, as I recall, was made of iron not steel, and is only some 0.9mm in average thickness!

Regards,

Russ