[Paulius B. Voss]

It's possible to tell something more about type of an armour, if we have just a such breastplate? :



What's your opinion on it? Thanks.

[Russ Thomas]

Hi Paulius,

Well it is an interesting piece. It has the slight ' tapulbrust' low down in the central ridge, so I it would seem to be German, probably c.1550-1560. But the cut outs for the movable gussets at the armholes seems to be a bit later ca.1570 ? I cannot see if there is a separate piece at the neck, or if it is all from a single piece.
It is an odd piece. Is it in a museum or in a private collection? Do you have any other pictures or information please?

Regards as ever,

Russ

[Chris Gilman]

Mid 16th century, German? , Flemish or French?
By the bump at the top looks like a reinforce breastplate (worn over another). Could be a French type that was worn with a large falling buff attached the the breastplate. (Musée de l'Armée in Paris has a number of these.)

[Paulius B. Voss]

Thanks guys!
Here is a side-view photo of that breastplate:



That breastplates were dug out on excavation of the Vilnius Royal castle (lower castle). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilnius_Castle_Complex
Also there is another one from the same place:



Russ: there is all from a single piece.[/url]

[Russ Thomas]

Hi Folks,

Chris,

I had thought about the possibility of its being French, certainly the shape does have that form, and there is a similar one in the Royal Armouries as I recall. But with that Tapulbrust pronounced as it is , and even more so the cut outs for the movable gussets, I think it is German. I do not think that it was a reinforcing placarte either, but the top ridge is certainly very curious. There are a number of buffes that fit over the rim of the breastplate and are fastened down in Graz, but they fit on ordinary breastplates. This piece is a bit odd.
Now that Paulius, has shown the side profile, I am certain that it is German ! Perhaps landshut?? It needs someone with a lot more knowledge than me to answer this one!

The second piece there can be little doubt about mid 17th century, but the form looks oddly English doesn't it.

Regards,

Russ

[Paulius B. Voss]

Thanks for your remarks, Russ,

What about the first breastplace - I fully agree with you, that it can be german, because between Vilnius and the German lands are a lot of connections at that time (especially between various guilds).

your conclusion about the second piece is very interesting too...

[James Arlen Gillaspie]

It looks to me like those copper-colored rivets are holding on a gorget lame. That would account for the roll at the top of the breastplate being surmounted by more metal.

[Paulius B. Voss]

Hello again!
I have a question about the second breastplate.
Whether it is possible to meet such form of a breastplate in other countries except England?

P.S. an interesting article about X-ray that type of an armour - http://www.royalarmouries.org/extsite/view.jsp?sectionId=3000

[Lawrence Parramore]

I thought that style (the second) was widespread, and I think a few thousand were discovered in France a couple of years ago, but I am sure someone will put the matter straight.

The X-Ray thing is really interesting the Germans wanted to do that double skin with there steel helmets in the first world war but the costs proved too much, the steel helmet design idea came from the Doctors who were upset about all the head injuries.

By the way I found a medieval ship 'wreck' in a river in Latvia, far more complete than the fragmentary one they have in the museum in Riga, still with it's cargo of barrels, think it was hydraulic lime for building the castles nearby, but the Museum were not interested, they said they have so many artefacts already! Well I had never found a 'wreck' before!


Catch