Gothic armour - the finer details -- myArmoury.com

Gordon Frye · Posted: Wed 09 Nov, 2005 8:19 pm Post subject:

Just to throw some interesting excellerants on the smouldering ashes here, I recall many, many years ago reading a long series of articles in "Muzzle Blasts" magazine (ca. 1973 or something like that) by a Swedish pastor who pointed out that the "Weeping Heart" so common in Pennsylvania "Dutch" art, and used as decoration on tomahawks and long rifles as well, may actually be a Linden leaf, rather than a heart. The Linden tree's religious connotations go WAY back in Germanic folklore, and although I'll be darned if I recall his exact argument (been just a while since reading it in passing, you know) it seemed pretty sound at the time. I'm sure someone with the time and search engine could do a bang-up job on that idea.

BTW, indeed, Gothic armour is beautiful, both in form and functionality. Sad that fashions changed! Sad

Cheers,

Gordon

Nathan Robinson · myArmoury Admin

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Aaron Schnatterly · Posted: Wed 09 Nov, 2005 9:02 pm Post subject:

Gordon Frye · Posted: Wed 09 Nov, 2005 9:19 pm Post subject:

Aaron;

Wow! Very cool discovery indeed! I suspect that the Linden leaf symbol goes much further back of course, but it's very cool to discover a fable which directly relates to the topic under discussion! I'm sure that further study will reveal many more such nifty bits and pieces of information, and I look forward to reading them posted here! Big Grin

And I think it's great that you're working on bringing back High Gothic armour to the fashion-consciousness of the World! Blued, wasp-waisted armour is so gorgeous... of course, as you and Jean have discussed, actually FITTING into such a thing of beauty is another matter entirely! Eek!

Funny thing, one of the first corselets I ever had was a very nice blued Gothic breast and back with fauld. I wish I still had that, but at least I know where it lives. Maybe one of these days... Wink

Cheers!

Gordon

Bill Grandy · myArmoury Team

Wow, Aaron, that is a beautifully sad story you found!

I, for one, have always actually liked hearts on gothic armour. There's something really striking to me about the blending of war and emotion. After the linden leaf symbol, it seems so much cooler.

Bill Grandy · myArmoury Team

You know, the Armour and Castings harness looks decent for the price, but it really doesn't do it for me. The fluting is just too blatant, if you know what I mean. It lacks the subtley and grace of gothic design... it captures to basic look, but not the "soul". If it's functional, though, then it's an outstanding price.

Aaron Schnatterly · Posted: Wed 09 Nov, 2005 9:59 pm Post subject:

Jean Thibodeau · Posted: Wed 09 Nov, 2005 10:29 pm Post subject:

Well Aaron you just have to work out more and a 75" chest should give you the same look in proportion chest to your waist as the original's 35" chest to 18" waist. Razz

O.K. I'm realy glad to be out of sword range at the moment, even scalpel range if you are angry! Makes me nervous. Eek!

Oh, good story by the way: So any information about Sir George and how the rest of his life turned out ? Became a monk ?
Became a drunk ? Got over it and married his second cousin ? Went back to war and dies in battle taking many many others with him ? Or all of the above ?

Aaron Schnatterly · Posted: Wed 09 Nov, 2005 10:37 pm Post subject:

Aaron Schnatterly · Posted: Wed 09 Nov, 2005 10:47 pm Post subject:

Jean Thibodeau · Posted: Thu 10 Nov, 2005 2:35 am Post subject:

Aaron;

Jokes aside, thanks for the end of the story: Sort of like the Monk option without the vows ! Sad but honourable: Some wounds never heal. Some wounds are not allowed to heal as healing would be too much like forgetting.

Wolfgang Armbruster · Posted: Thu 10 Nov, 2005 7:37 am Post subject:

Concerning the Linden-leafs:
It might interest you to hear that people used to plant a Linden-tree in the center of each village (usually when a new settlement was founded).
The area around the tree was not only used as a market place (what else Wink

) but also as a place for dancing and festivities.
In some villages people even built a dancing ground up in the branches. That place was (naturally) rather small but sufficient. Of course this tradition is now almost extinct since nobody is founding new villages anymore + the 20th century did the rest Wink

I don't know if there are similar traditions in other countries but I think it's not unlikely.

If someone has pictures of gothic armour please post it Happy

Russ Thomas · Industry Professional

Hello folks,

This is a great and interesting thread, sorry that I haven't been able to contribute before now, been moving and building workshops and things and only have spasmodic internet connection at present Cry

There is a nice gothic gauntlet in the Wallace Collection in London, off the top of my head I think that it is # 252. It is illustrated in the 'Arms & Armour of the Medieval Knight' , by D.Edge & J.M.Paddock. This has hearts pierced in it for decoration.

The nice thing with the flour di lis design is of course that when they are very close together with the flowers touching, like in the Sigismund harness, the flowers actually form the hearts in the gaps, so you actually get both .Very beautiful, but loads of work. I am actually starting a complicated gothic harness for a customer at christmas, this will have flour de lis motives and pierced work, so I will let you know how long it takes.

BTW, if I recall correctly, Sigismund was about 5'7" tall and Maximilian I shorter, only about 5'4' tall.

I'll have another read of this thread again later and try and see if I can contribute anything of interest. Gothic armour is beautiful.........

Regards as ever,

Russ

Bill Grandy · myArmoury Team