The Armour Archive

Ernst

"Karacena" are Polish, not saracen.

Ernst

In 1521 Pope Leo X conferred the first title of "Defender of the Faith" upon Henry. Only Nixon could go to China.

Ernst

One reason those books are on the discount tables is the great profit to be made by using nineteenth century, non-copyrighted images. The drawing looks to come from a Victorian era interpretation of a Norman from the Bayeaux Tapestry. Sir Samuel Rush Meyrick and others invented a great variety of ar...

Ernst

Jeff brought this up over at Firestryker back in February, 2004. Several images were provided besides the questioned 'Alexander' marginalia. m is from the early fourteenth century Bible Historiale, FR. 155, folio 19r. Next, m is from the Dyson Perrins Apocalypse, c. 1255-60, MS Ludwig III 1 folio 22...

Ernst

The crests seem reasonably accurate for the time frame, and sometimes appear in battle scenes as well as tournaments. You should still lose them if you're portraying a monk.

Ernst

Some of the Jamestown armor can be seen on the APVA site:

http://www.apva.org/ngex/things.html

While researching an Appomattox River find, I found Bly Straube to be responsive to specific questions. The Martin's Hundred site also produced a number of close helmets.

Ernst

I made an interesting discovery in how things are brain-filed years ago. My older brother asked me what the earliest "Christmas" I remembered might be. Oddly, this only dated back to about age 12 or 13. When he began talking about "toys" he had received at Christmas, I was able to remember Christmas...

Ernst

The sixth image looks to be origional from the time period with gothic style armour and rounded toes sabatons, which would be correct. The guy in the middle may be wearing a skull cap, but it is too hard to tell. While the sixth illustration, a woodcut print, may be "close", it still has problems t...

Ernst

Any thoughts about the two examples on this Italian site, or any information on the "Ill. De Vita"? "Sergentina" B -- an 18th century little halberd decorated with precious metal from??? m The same site lists a recurved example under "Alabarda"; the last "B" halberd --alabarda da trabante. Any infor...

Ernst

Not that I'm unwilling or unable to pay $15, but does the text mentioned show and date this style of halberd?

Ernst

Cheaper trade goods were available and manufactured for the purpose, so I doubt anyone would have brought a century-old family heirloom for trade. The prospect of a captured halberd, a battle trophy, being traded from Onate in New Mexico to Arkansas seems remote as well. What are the odds of parade ...

Ernst

Ivo, This is not a "saber" halberd. The Arkansas example is definitively an out-of-ground example from near the banks of the Mississippi. It is not a purchased acquisition. A very similar halberd is in the Cleveland Museum of Art, whom I have already written. m The halberd in the middle, attributed ...

Ernst

In way of a bump on this, I note that Lutel offers a reproduction of this halberd as "#20005, Halberd, Germany, c.1590" I have serious doubts that such a halberd would be in use among the French a century later. The Arkansas example differs only in being more corroded, having lost the back tri-lobat...

Ernst

Can anyone give me dates on when recurved (S-shaped) halberd blades were in use? One is pictured in Tarussek and Blair's Encyclopedia on p.247 and is attributed to being Saxon, 1580-90. Another is in the Cleveland Museum of Art, and reportedly is engraved with the arms of Elector Christian I of Saxo...

Ernst

One correction, the Bible is French, probably done for the Royal house.

Ernst

Templars were celibate monks. How far are you willing to go in your portrayal?

Ernst

Perhaps the problem is not your maille, but you servientes? "And the gleaming rings of his mail-shirt, all ready, Shining as when he'd worn them to that castle. His groom Had wiped and rubbed them Inch by inch...." Gawain and the Green Knight ll2018-2022 Some mail was tinned, but not all. Clean, pol...

Ernst

Surviving escutcheons also have the back covered in cloth. The inside of the shield could bear decorations or mottoes. "And whenever he stood in battle his mind Was fixed, above all things, on the five Joys which Mary had of Jesus, From which all his courage came -- and was why This fair knight had ...

Ernst

Nah, that can't be real. We all know swords can't cut plate.

Oweee!

Ernst

Conical helms, though not spangen construction, are pretty common into the first quarter of the 13th century, where they are usually shown in bright colors. Some have identifying heraldry on the side, e.g. a rampant lion apparently painted on the surface. The 12th century Temple Pyx figures seem to ...

Ernst

"Size" is derived from "seize" -- a combination glue and sealant. Usually it is the glue which holds gold leaf.

Ernst

If some "special permission" or exception were granted to the Knights, it would seem by negative inference to imply that linen was worn by the "general public" but was not considered appropriate "knightly" attire, would it not? I don't think "knightly" applies. The Templars and the other martial or...

Ernst

Great references Ernest, what year is Charles ffoulkes from? Charles ffoulkes "The Armourer and His Craft from the XIth to the XVIth Century" was originally published in 1912, the paperback reprint is readily available from Dover, ISBN 0486258513. Though full of errors typical of works from such an...

Ernst

Both the French Rule of the Temple and the Hospitaller Rule of 1205 indicate that brothers were issued two pairs of chausses, one of wool, one of linen. I've read, in Fashion in the Age of the Black Prince, that the Templars were granted some sort of "special permission" to wear linen garments, for...

Ernst

Remember that sunlight degrades silk so a silk banner should be expected to need replacing on a regular basis---very good for conspicious consumption purposes! Silk does degrade in sunlight but not that fast. Sweat plus sunlight is a real killer. On the other hand, silk gauze (sendal) is specifical...

Ernst

PM sent.

Ernst

I'd LOVE to do a LH group based on De Soto's passage through North Carolina but that's just a wee bit too niche to fly. Nobody seems interested. Hey, that's two of us, if we can do DeSoto's entire expedition! I started a file about 4 years ago for DeSoto-era stuff that I put things in every now and...

Ernst

Eamonn MacCampbell wrote:Historically speaking, alot of leather scale halbrucks were made with the scales rivited to a heavy canvas backing with small leather washers to prevent a pull thru.

Really?! Might you have a reference to this historic leather scale hauberk and where it might be found?

Ernst

A plate heaume is in, as are plate poleyns on the knees, and schynbalds on the shins. Possibly some sort of scale covered shoes would be used. I would be leary of even the simplest elbow plates or reinforced gauntlets; both of these items would have been exceptional even in the 1290's. Cuir-boulli m...

Ernst

Fire Stryker wrote:... if you are talking the Incas with Pizzaro, then it's late 1500s (1570s).

!? ( You might want to check that in a book....)

Ernst

Cool! I've never seen a visored cervelliere. There are two more examples commonly published, both from early 14th century sources. The first is from the Codex Manesse (the figure to the left in the red surcoat opposing the Count.) m The second is a northern French or perhaps Flemish manuscript,c.13...

Ernst

Actually, I've seen escutcheon shaped banners in a late 13th century Castillian source.

Ernst

I think comb morions are too late for Cortez, Pizzaro, Soto, or Coronado. I would say too late for any 'Conquest' portrayal, although they would be used later on in places like St. Augustine as a 'Colonial'.

Ernst

There are a number of historic illustrations showing gold-colored mail. Erik Schmid discovered the sleeves (A10-11?) in the Wallace Collection were made entirely of latten which had been tinned. Latten edges analyzed by Dr. Williams used an alloy similar to brass 220/cartridge brass. The flattening ...

Ernst

Although I haven't been able to find a specific date, corn syrup seems to have been first produced in the late 19th century. Kayro as a brand does not appear until 1902. Medieval sweeteners (outside of honey) probably include raisins and dried currants. Islamic lands had a variety of syrups, usually...

Recurved halberd blades