[Tjarand Matre]

I've been offered a breastplate like this for a very fair price. Any opinions on what era this would be appropriate for? My kit is mostly late 14th early 15th and I suspect this plate is later.

[Stephen Curtin]

Hi Tjarand, I'm far from an expert but to me this looks to be a 17th century breastplate

[Tjarand Matre]

Thanks for the input, 17th century was what I thought as well. Not generic enough so I'll keep looking.

[Sean Flynt]

Actually, that's fine for late 15th c. You get single-piece construction both early and late, with the two-piece(+) in the middle. The Medieval Armour From Rhodes shows a number of such breasts, including examples from Spanish, Italian and German/Austrian armourers, all of the last quarter-century (like the two examples below). It would be nice if the breast in question had a fauld, but one sometimes sees breasts worn without faulds in German/Austrian artwork of the period, so it's not essential.

This form is similar to the later 16th and 17th c. styles, although many of those have a more pronounced keel and, in some cases, a peascod form that rules them out for earlier periods.

The only thing I don't like about the breast in question is the treatment of the edges, which give the impression of a strong but incomplete turn. If I were buying this I'd ask the armourer to close the turn, either rounded or boxed. At first glance there appear to be gusssets here but closer inspection reveals an embossed gutter that looks strange to me. I wonder if that's a misinterpretation of a photo of a gusseted breast. Might just be a type I haven't seen.

[Eric Hejdström]

I would not go as far as calling that thing a reproduction...

[Sean Flynt]

Here's an example of an early 15th c. single-piece keeled breast (ca. 1427). Note that it's boxier than later examples, and tends more toward the Kastenbrust style.

[Sean Flynt]

Here's an interesting one of ca. 1469. Note color and form of the breast at left, plus the absence of a fauld even though there are legs and vambraces.

[Lafayette C Curtis]

To my inexperienced eyes, one thing makes the breastplate look quite unlike a 17th-century one: the waistline is rather too low. It could work for the 15th or the 16th, though.