Extant Greenwich armour -- myArmoury.com

Adam D. Kent-Isaac · Posted: Sun 31 Oct, 2010 9:30 pm Post subject: Extant Greenwich armour

In the spirit of the thread of Milanese armours, I have made this one, though English armour doesn't have quite the same following. At least a few here should be interested. I just want you to know I will be continually updating this thread so I am literally working on it right now. Please add anything that I have left out.

All of the following are in the Royal Armouries:

Tonlet armour of Henry VIII, c. 1520

Armour of Henry VIII, c. 1540

Another armour of Henry VIII, which seems to not be on public display:

At the Metropolitan Museum of Art:

Armour for Henry VIII, given to Galiot de Genhouliac (1527)

Adam D. Kent-Isaac · Posted: Sun 31 Oct, 2010 9:39 pm Post subject:

Armour located at the Honourable Artillery Company, c. 1575, ownership unknown

Armour of William Somerset, Earl of Worcester, at Tower of London (c. 1570)

Armours for Sir James Scudamore (c. 1590) at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Armour of Henry Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke (c. 1585) at Met. Museum of Art

Armour of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester (1585) at Royal Armouries:

Armour of Sir Christopher Hatton (1585) currently at Windsor Castle

Armour of Thomas Sackville, Earl of Dorset and Lord Buckhurst (1587) at the Wallace Collection

Armour of George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland (c. 1588) at Met. Museum of Art

Adam D. Kent-Isaac · Posted: Sun 31 Oct, 2010 9:51 pm Post subject:

Armour of an unknown courtier of Queen Elizabeth, c. 1590, Royal Armouries

Armour of Sir John Smythe, c. 1590, Royal Armouries. Note that the breastplate and possibly some other parts were made in Augsburg and then brought to Greenwich to be added to the rest.

Adam D. Kent-Isaac · Posted: Sun 31 Oct, 2010 10:03 pm Post subject:

Armour of Sir Henry Lee, at the Armourers and Brasiers Company, date unknown

Neil Melville · Posted: Mon 01 Nov, 2010 5:30 am Post subject: Greenwich armour

Hi Adam,
thanks for these photos of Greenwich armour - great idea and some great pictures. The armour you think is not on display is (I think) the 'other' 1540 harness which was certainly on display in Windsor Castle when I was last there a couple of years ago. Windsor also has the highly decorated armour of Henry, Prince of Wales, 1608, (he died in 1612 or thereabouts so his younger brother succeeded as Charles I). Unfortunately I don't have a decent photo of the armour as photography is forbidden inside the castle and there were too many attendants around. Maybe someone will find a good photo of it.
Neil

Philip Melhop · Posted: Mon 01 Nov, 2010 5:57 am Post subject:

Correct, the "other"armour is on display at Windsor Castle in a link part that was added after the fire a few years ago.
Phil

JG Elmslie · Industry Professional

the entire garniture of Sir William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke, made around 1557 is in the collection of the Glasgow Museums, and on display in the Kelvingrove.

attached image below is of that harness, with the horse armour. the other parts are on display too.

also there is the harness of his son, the 2nd Earl of Pembroke, from about the1580's, I recall.

I think there's a third greenwich harness in there too, but my memory's flakey.

Blaz Berlec · Posted: Mon 01 Nov, 2010 10:12 am Post subject:

Great thread! I know how much work goes into making one, I made the Milanese armour one, and I'm currently making a list of 15th century German armours. The second one is taking much longer since I don't have any literature that even attempts to list them.

But I must say I find some of the armour listed here absolutely hideous. I think I will never understand how the taste went from realism of 15th century oil paintings (Dutch masterpieces etc) and graceful lines of Milanese and German armours of 15th century to big rounded armours of 16th century and distorted figures of Mannerism. But to each his own, I guess. Happy

Michael B. · Industry Professional

I am loving these lists, lot's of work going into them. Thanks a bunch!

Johan K · Posted: Mon 01 Nov, 2010 12:02 pm Post subject:

Would it perhaps be an idea to collect these threads in the site's 'article' section, so people can use them for future reference?

Nathan Robinson · myArmoury Admin

This topic has been promoted into a Spotlight Topic.

Chad Arnow · myArmoury Team

Blaz Berlec · Posted: Mon 01 Nov, 2010 3:24 pm Post subject:

Adam D. Kent-Isaac · Posted: Mon 01 Nov, 2010 6:39 pm Post subject:

The Kelvingrove Museum also has another Greenwich armour, this one of uncertain date and ownership. However, it might have been for Robert Radclyffe, 5th Earl of Sussex, as the helmet decoration matches the one in his portrait.

Anime armour for a youth, possibly made for Edward VI. C. 1550

Several other burgonets and a close helmet can be seen.

Armour made for King James I (which he probably did not wear very often) - date unknown.

A similar armour which I photographed at Warwick Castle. This one was for a very small individual.

An armour made for Christian, Duke of Brunswick, a gift from his cousin Prince Henry Frederick. Made sometime during the early 17th century.

A portrait of Christian shows him wearing the armour. It is now owned by Ronald Lauder.

JG Elmslie · Industry Professional

Adam D. Kent-Isaac · Posted: Wed 03 Nov, 2010 5:36 pm Post subject:

Here's another addition - the armour of Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales, which is on the left there next to George Clifford's suit. I wish to hell I could find a color picture since the armour has an interesting green color to it.

Adam D. Kent-Isaac · Posted: Mon 28 May, 2012 2:20 pm Post subject:

Resurrecting this thread since I have recently found some more photos of Christopher Hatton's armor which are vastly superior to the single, old, small photo which previously was the only one. The link is on the Royal Collection's website.

http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/collection/...se-tiltand