The Armour Archive

Ernst

One question that has come to my mind is if this laced construction is not more common than we had previously thought? Since the lacing is on the iside of the legs, the chance of seeing it is lost in most iconographic sources.

Ernst

You're confident identifying steel versus leather by the color ? They did paint leather, and they did paint it steel color. Makes distinguishing one from the other by color a dubious process... I'm more confident that steel colored armor in a miniature represents steel than I am that all such repre...

Ernst

chef, Hence the qualifier, "what seems" before the "obviously iron". I think it might be easier to speculate materials from a colored miniature than a monochromatic sculpture or pen and ink drawing. Yes, it's possible that the miniature is showing silver-gilt greaves in the same ...

Ernst

I did a quick perusal of the 1344 Romance of Alexander, Bodley MS 264. These laced greaves can be found on the King in folio 63v, 65r, and the right column miniature on folio 82r among others. Generally white lacings on what seems obviously iron greaves is the most common scheme, though black lacing...

Ernst

Each of the miniatures is labeled. Lots of folks with that pesky Herzog (Duke) title in front of their name seem to have golden helmets. The master illuminator could be trusted with expensive gold paint, so he made use of it, but there is ample evidence for the highest echelons displaying their weal...

Ernst

Nice work. I wonder if the central ridge wouldn't exclude it from the 13th/early 14th century though. I don't recall seeing such a feature shown in any of that period's art.

Ernst

Three examples from the Manesse:

http://www.tempora-nostra.de/manesse/img/076.jpg

http://www.tempora-nostra.de/manesse/img/100.jpg

http://www.tempora-nostra.de/manesse/img/055.jpg

Ernst

So, the question before us would be, are quilted defences an import to Europe, from the first Crusade? Or did they pre-exist, and we merely lack art depicting them. What is that reference people keep bringing up about Scandanavia, and defenses covered with pitch for water-resistance? How far back d...

Ernst

Perhaps the cervelliere worn by the elephant driver is of more use, since it seems closer to the form illustrated on the Knights of Calatrava? I really think you should re-consider the conical helm and leather lamellar unless you intend to portray some sort of lay brother affiliated with the Calatra...

Ernst

Perhaps obsolescent rather than obsolete, the conical helm with nasal is rare in mid 13th century art. There is an example at the top of the howdah in Bodley 764, fo. 12, c.1225-1250.

http://bestiary.ca/beastimage/img4857.jpg

Ernst

Perhaps I should elaborate. You should avoid heating the beaker in any way. Plug the back of the hole with a piece of clay (the tinker's dam), then heat the solder and drip or let it run into the hole. This would seem to be the historical way of patching holes in pewter wares.

Ernst

What's the idiom, "Not worth a tinker's dam"?

Ernst

The Norman-style conical helmets are almost always shown on enemies of the Godly. This seems to be a common medieval artistic tradition, showing enemies in fantastic or obsolete equipment. The simple rounded helmets are quite common and modern for the mid-13th century, Modernly referred to as cervel...

Ernst

The earliest visual European reference I have found is a miniature from the Moinage de Guillaume , Trivulziana Codex 1025, folio 143, last 1/3 of the 13th century. m If you aren't familiar with the tale of Duke William of Orange becoming a monk, you really should get the translation. In short, the g...

Ernst

Sir Cleges!!! in the ME section. What a great tale.

Ernst

A.R. Williams has tested at least two "latten" edge rings from mail. As I recall, the alloys differed significantly in the two samples. One example was very close to modern cartridge brass, which is at least comparable to wrought iron in strength.

Ernst

You could mix it with a good red wine and make a really bad shiraz.

Ernst

The banded construction you show is reasonable for 1260-70. I think you'll be hard pressed to find artwork from a century later showing anything but a raised top.

Ernst

As for the second question, no. I have seen Phrygian bascinets dating into the 1340s from two sources. Their appearance is usually tied to various heathens and infidels. Do you have any context on the miniature regarding who the defenders are supposed to be?

Ernst

Here's an example of a Moor wearing the panoply at Roncesvalles shown in The Hague's KA 20, Spieghel Historiael, Jacob van Maerlant, 1325-1335, West Flanders.

Ernst

I believe the image is from KA 20 (?) in the Dutch national library (KB). Images for the manuscript are available online, and the battle scenes are comparable to a 1320's Maciejowski Bible in effect.

Ernst

Some kiddush cups seem acceptable in form as well.

http://www.silverheaven.com/stores/silv ... g/5440.JPG

Ernst

Yes, they have.

http://www.historiavivens1300.at/hv1300.htm

The Austrian group Historia Vivens 1300 calls it a wams, though gambeson is the English derivative. Click Realien and then the reproduction sword and buckler.

Ernst

IIRC the Hospitallers or Templars actually forbade the use of fingered mail gloves, as such pieces of armor were considered extravagant and unsuitable (as opposed to mail mittens) for poor monks.

Ernst

Being a good Southern boy, I see julep cups often, and I do know how to make mint juleps. New pewter varieties can be had for around $45 US. This was a good find given the price.

Ernst

I'm on my way out the door to go to work, but I'm certain I can find plenty of baselards behind purses in view for the mid 14th century in the Luttrell Psalter and the Bodley Romance of Alexander.

Ernst

Here's the mid 13th century baselard from the Edward the Confessor, Ee.3.59, available online:

Ernst

Two burghers from c. 1385 with rather large baselard and bollock knife--

http://www.mbs-brasses.co.uk/images/KingsSombourne.jpg

Ernst

There are a few depictions of colored bascinets. I'm certain there are a few red and rose colored examples in Bodley 264, "Romance of Alexander". If this was accomplished with paint or by covering in fabric or leather (as restricted by the London 1322 regulation cited by ffoulkes) is guess...

Ernst

I always presumed the effigy to show a decorative fabric-covered gamboised cuisse. It's always good to see alternate interpretations.

Ernst

Thomas Powers wrote:..sausages not requireing refrigeration, cheese, crackers, apples, dried fruits, dates, butter, oatmeal, hard breads...

Let's not forget the common egg, which can be kept unrefrigerated for weeks.

Ernst

I think that if we are to find more artistic representations of riveted bascinets, we need to look in similar places to the two already found. Eastern Europe, maybe with depictions of light cavalry/men at arms. I've got no idea how to find this stuff though, so someone else may have to do the legwo...

Ernst

I have seen several woodcuts showing pretzel vendors storing their wares on a pegged post, something like a coat rack.

Ernst

I think Signo's point suggests a plausible explanation for why such bascinets might be made. Years ago I was speaking with a woman who had a small collection of 16th/early 17th century furniture. She noted that the turned furniture didn't use through-tennons, and was joined with brads or nails. &quo...

Ernst

And one final example, though I'm certain I can find more. If you look at the back of these chausses from circa 1170-1240, you'll notice they're not enclosed, but seem to be pulled together with laces. Not all chausses of the period are made this way, and the lack of coverage for the calf seems odd....