Macabre & Torture Instruments from Medieval Times -- myArmoury.com

David Davidson

Is anyone here also really fascinated at the more macabre things from the Medieval times, such as the old torture devices etc? Some of these things are so sick and it's hard to put your head around them actually happening. I saw a documentary about Vlad the Impaler (who Dracula is based on) and it showed how he used impale entire towns. Does anyone else find these things fascinating or even collect any? I think my prime sword if I can find one would be a good condition Executioners Sword.

Managed to win something cheap on eBay recently because it does not have a good provenance. It is old but there's no real telling from when this dates back from. It's an old spiked punishment collar which I thought was pretty cool (pre 19th century).

But also looking around found some other awesome items, but regrettably out of price range. There's a bit of a premium because they have a great provenance.

Thumbscrew Ex. Nuremberg $4k

http://www.artancient.net/servlet/the-1525/To...ale/Detail

Black Death - Newgate Jail Cross $3k

http://www.artancient.net/servlet/the-598/bla...for/Detail

I would love to see any collections if anyone has any.

Julian Reynolds · Posted: Fri 26 Apr, 2013 11:12 pm Post subject:

David,

That spiked collar is a modern reproduction - if it was sold to you as a pre-19thC object, then whoever did so was being less than honest......

For an excellent (well researched and illustrated) book on instruments of torture, I would recommend Mark P Donnelly's 'Big Book of Pain'. That should give you a better idea of what original artifacts looked like, how they were constructed etc.

I have made many such objects over the years - here's a 'halsgeige' (shrew's fiddle) and a noisemaker's fife I made a while ago.....man's ingenuity knew no bounds when it came to inflicting pain on his fellow man (or woman!).

I have a long-running ambition to make a 'Pear of Anguish' for the collection......

Julian

David Davidson · Posted: Sat 27 Apr, 2013 2:48 am Post subject:

Leo Todeschini · Industry Professional

HI David,

What Julian means by modern is, I am afraid, last week, not 19thC.

Beautiful (if disturbing!) work Julian.

Tod

David Davidson · Posted: Sat 27 Apr, 2013 4:07 am Post subject:

Last week.. Oh gee. I thought it might have had a century at least. Any ideas on what something like that would cost to have made now? I haven't paid for it yet, but if a replica can be made for much cheaper and description was completely bogus, I won't pay out of protest.

Kel Rekuta · Posted: Sat 27 Apr, 2013 7:44 am Post subject:

Nice work Julian! The fiddle is interesting.

Sa'ar Nudel · Posted: Sat 27 Apr, 2013 12:54 pm Post subject:

The collar shows signs of modern power tools. Judicial interrogation and punishing methods are side show within my field of study. I carry a lecture by the name "Feudal Justice", referring to many kinds of brutal ways to make people talk or die, along history. It seems that mankind is especially creative with inflicting pain & death, and there is an everlasting urge of people to listen to such a topic, despite the horrible intent. It is a human nature, an instinct of voyeurism.
As I travel across Europe in my search of arms & armor collections, I also look for torture instrument collections, today a regular touristic attraction in former Warsaw-Pact countries. Mind you these are mostly modern reproductions, but there are also good collections around. More books I can recommend are The Book of Execution, and Rack, Rope and Red-Hot Pincers, both by Geoffrey Abbott.

Mick Jarvis · Posted: Sat 27 Apr, 2013 2:48 pm Post subject:

Julian,

how do those two devices work?

Marik C.S. · Posted: Sat 27 Apr, 2013 3:53 pm Post subject:

Julian Reynolds · Posted: Sun 28 Apr, 2013 1:25 am Post subject:

Tod is right, your collar was made yesterday, so to speak.

The Noisemaker's Fife and the Shrew's Fiddle are, indeed, restraints/portable pillories, and would have involved a march-of-shame (possibly even with the addition of a brank). They are modelled below by a medieval re-enactor friend of mine. The Noisemaker's Fife, in particular, can be very painful if you tighten up the finger/thumb screws. There are double-sided Shrew's Fiddles, for chastising women who squabble in the street. A fitting punishment.......!

Other favourites of mine are the Drunkard's Cloak (a barrel worn with just the head poking out of the top, usually painted with sobering scenes) and the Gambler's Rosary (a large, heavy chain worn around the neck from which was suspended oversize playing cards, dice, bottles, etc, carved from stone). Punishments for drinking and gambling, respectively.

Julian

Mick Jarvis · Posted: Sun 28 Apr, 2013 2:19 am Post subject:

thank you for the info on those... that is very interesting indeed

Julian Reynolds · Posted: Sun 28 Apr, 2013 3:17 am Post subject:

Here's a lovely (!) original Shrew's Fiddle - some of these are simple boards with holes in them, others are almost sculptural works of art - needless to say, I prefer the fancy ones as they give more scope for creative carving....

(sorry no picture credit)

Julian

Mike Janis · Posted: Mon 29 Apr, 2013 8:46 am Post subject:

If you are ever in Germany, go by the Rothenburg torture museum:
http://www.history-of-germany.com/?scid=rothenburg_torture&

The executioner’s swords are amazing. They are almost fantasy size with rounded “points”. They did not need to be pointed for cutting off heads.

Sean Flynt · Posted: Mon 29 Apr, 2013 9:40 am Post subject:

FYI: This is a standing category in Hermann Historica's (online) auction catalogs: http://www.hermann-historica.de/gb/index_abgeschlossen_N.html

David Davidson · Posted: Tue 30 Apr, 2013 4:08 am Post subject:

Just found this item up for sale (I'm in no way associated with the business). I'm always looking to find some new things to add to my collection and found this one interesting. Bit expensive though.

English Punishment Axe, ca. 1548
http://www.antiqueweaponstore.com/Ultra%20Rar...201548.htm

P.S Pretty life like hands

David Davidson · Posted: Fri 10 May, 2013 6:22 am Post subject:

How trustworthy does eBay tend to be?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Rare-European16th-...3a80e76846

Robin Smith · Posted: Fri 10 May, 2013 7:54 am Post subject:

Julian Reynolds · Posted: Sat 11 May, 2013 12:33 am Post subject:

That said, this is actually quite a good representation of a typical Brank - the only thing missing is the attachment that goes into the mouth to obstruct the tongue, and I can't see the way it is attached to the head (I suspect it needs some kind of strap to go over the top of the head and another around the back.

Interesting, and a good one to reproduce.

Julian

Harry Marinakis · Posted: Sat 11 May, 2013 8:51 am Post subject:

I didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition......

Chad Arnow · myArmoury Team