The Armour Archive

Ernst

In the numerous discussions on this forum concerning these rope helmets, the idea has been repeatedly put forward that they might be the equivalent of a hard-hat for construction workers. Although my primary study falls into the 13th and early 14th century, I don't remember seeing anything like thes...

Ernst

Burgess makes the presumption that mail makers were punching their own solid rings, as opposed to buying them from a dedicated maker. Wire drawers had separate guilds for those drawing brass and those drawing iron wire. It's not much of a leap to presume the same was true for mail makers, or that th...

Ernst

And A10-11 are the demi-riveted latten sleeves with tinning.

Ernst

I still wonder if there's some hidden meaning in the various tormenters of Christ who are shown wearing these. The similarity between these and medieval bee skips makes me wonder if it isn't based on some idiom like having a "bee in the bonnet"?

Ernst

Most of the sources which specify fabric seem to mention cendal (silk) or velvet (silk), though the lesser lords at the Tourney of Windsor get carda (probably a corded linen). I've never seen evidence for wool.

Ernst

Here's an interesting area of Wade's M-15, with Tom's photo of the cuff. M-15cuff.jpg There is a line of ferrous riveted rings running the full length of the border. Imagine a strip of latten rings pre-made and sold for edging cuffs. This example would be demi-riveted, alternating three punched ring...

Ernst

Then there is the Met's 14.25.1540, a known German shirt with signet ring ("bechler") with both the shirt and latten edging of all riveted construction, and iron rivets in the latten rings. This seems likely to be made all-together in the same shop. http://images.metmuseum.org/CRDImages/aa/original/...

Ernst

Here's Tom's link to this year's mail photos: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1022246741139519.1073741835.1004317936265733&type=3 Ernest, thanks for the link, and Wade thanks all of the photos of your mail. The brass links seem to have a water shed, this and the fact that the solid links ...

Ernst

Indeed! I took photos of the brass edging and of the body of the gusset, but none of the connection. Wade, perhaps some good photos of the junction of the edging to the sleeve are in order? I know it has a lot of Mac's butted black iron rings to preserve integrity (see lower right), but one of my de...

Ernst

Here's Tom's link to this year's mail photos:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 733&type=3

Ernst

Accelerator mass spectrometry, used to detect carbon 14.

Ernst

14.25.608 : http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online/search/27139 14.25.609 : http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection-online/search/27140 A quick check under a microscope by some textile experts might give a material. About $600 and an agreement to have AMS testing done ...

Ernst

Since Wade's study session has come and gone again, Tom B.'s posting of some of the mail reminded me of another point. Voider (gusset) M-4: all riveted construction, except the demi-riveted brass edging. Mail sleeve M-15: all riveted construction, except the demi-riveted brass remnant of a cuff. (st...

Ernst

Perhaps we should refer to them as coiled or coil helmets, as the material can be rope, cloth, or other fiber?

Ernst

I have not done any research into 15th century French words for arm harness. An avantbras is clearly a "front bracer" or "lower bracer" (= English vambrace) but I don't have a good explanation for guardebras or diminutives like bracelè . The gardebrace is later used as the large plate reinforcing t...

Ernst

Also, gaignepans appear in the Modus Armandi Milites (edit: link ). They have a DMF entry. Since gagné-pain is almost a literal translation to "bread-winner", I wonder why the DMF entry suggests a leather cuff? Samuel Rush Meyrick considers them a blunted sword or a pair of sword and dagger. https:...

Ernst

That last one does make Thom Richardson's developing hypothesis more questionable, doesn't it?

Ernst

I presume the numerous small pearls "pocketing" or surrounding the fleurs-de-lis on numerous objects are freshwater pearl strands.

Ernst

No. 253 and 284 are the first evidence for covered gauntlets after 1360 which I can recall (the #18 gauntlets at Churburg excepted of course). No. 225 and 281 belong in a catalogue of references to Turkish bows or horn bows amongst the Farangi. Watch out for cuir "leather" vs. cuivre "copper." With...

Ernst

Any ideas on the difference in 253., between the bracelès et avantbras? I'm presuming some sort of splints vs. enclosed vambraces, but it is part of a complete harness, and seems early for a garniture with alternate pieces.

Ernst

Source: https://archive.org/details/choixdepicesin02douuoft History: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_VI_of_France The inventory of the Louvre Palace was ordered on 3 March 1420, though the vast majority of armor appears to have been counted at the living quarters of the Grand Stable on 7 Feb 1...

Ernst

We sometimes see bascinets with apparent vervelles, but with the mail coming from beneath. There is a mystery. I recently posted the 1397 Inventory of Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester, which has an aventail on a kettle hat, presenting a similar question of how it was attached. On an associate...

Ernst

It seems to me that the Leverick effigy attempts to show scales suspended from the cord running through the vervelles. https://www.flickr.com/photos/roelipilami/1615572882/in/album-72157602468647900/ Perhaps the "Sandwich Knight" is worth comparing? http://effigiesandbrasses.com/740/1018/ The fact t...

Ernst

When you see those in inventory listings, it's hard to say whether or not the straps are covered in cloth or made entirely of it. The 1316 Louis X inventory has Item 4. paires d'esperons garnis de soye, et 2. paires garnis de cuir. Item, 4 pairs of spurs garnished with silk (straps), and 2 pairs gar...

Ernst

https://books.google.com/books?id=BrVDAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA732&lpg=PA732&dq=taffeta+taneto&source=bl&ots=liLRCbVXus&sig=pnDAqNKf4JuIR-4DhpCDwfsOWe0&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CB8Q6AEwAWoVChMIl_S374bhyAIVxBc-Ch26kwD3#v=onepage&q=taffeta%20taneto&f=false p.732 El fornimento de damasco taneto [tané] et berretino per il ...

Ernst

Will McLean has a nice piece on the shirts of Chartre. :cry: http://willscommonplacebook.blogspot.com/2012/04/chemises-of-chartres.html There was a relic in Chartres Cathedral, supposed to have been a chemise worn by the Virgin Mary. By the 13th century, "it was the custom for people to hold pieces ...

Ernst

Coin silver's pretty tough. A suppose it depends on the amount of copper in the alloy.
http://www.riogrande.com/Content/Compar ... html?Pos=7

Ernst

I really think the "lancenet" is a typesetting error, and that those showing "bacenet" must be correct, if for no other reason than the difficulty of putting a lance or lancegay in a sack -unless it's only a winged lancehead. I suspect this would be some sort of bascinet with a nasal, like we find i...

Ernst

Any clues as to the etymology or root-word for trummelles? trumm- ? We already know of various spellings of genouillère for knee. Perhaps the difference between trumelières and jambiers is the difference between greaves and schynbalds, as suggested by Lacombe. https://books.google.com/books?id=9iJXA...

Ernst

Source: https://books.google.com/books?id=j9MhAQAAMAAJ&dq=Item%2C%20autres%20divers%20garnementz%20des%20armes%20dit%20Pieres&pg=PA388#v=onepage&q=Item,%20autres%20divers%20garnementz%20des%20armes%20dit%20Pieres&f=false History: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piers_Gaveston,_1st_Earl_of_Cornwall On ...

Ernst

Thanks, added as a possible meaning. I had not consider maple, sp. acer, before.

Ernst

Source: https://books.google.com/books?id=PuccAQAAIAAJ&lpg=PA492&ots=FW8nTPu056&dq=ii%20paires%20de%20cuiraces%20nueves%3B%20viii%20frains%20nues&pg=PA492#v=onepage&q=ii%20paires%20de%20cuiraces%20nueves;%20viii%20frains%20nues&f=false History: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odo,_Count_of_Nevers Odo ...

Ernst

Cross-Posted from Historical Research: http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=180283 1397 Inventory of Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester, etc. Itm ij ketelhattes lun blanc ove j bordur dargent endorrez lautr ove j aventail cov'ez de russet velvet p's x.s. Item, 2 kettle hat...

Ernst

The second entry is of interest. Itm ij ketelhattes lun blanc ove j bordur dargent endorrez lautr ove j aventail cov'ez de russet velvet p's x.s. Item, 2 kettle hats, the one white with 1 edge of silver gilt, the other with 1 aventail covered with russet colored velvet. valued 10s. So, how do you at...

Ernst

That's a lot of hand punching. Didn't you have a smaller one for the lining holes?

Re: Rope Helmets

Re: European riveted mail types and timeline.

Re: European riveted mail types and timeline.

Re: Rope Helmets

Re: Surcoat in the rain - wool or linen

Re: European riveted mail types and timeline.

Re: European riveted mail types and timeline.

Re: European riveted mail types and timeline.

Re: European riveted mail types and timeline.

Re: European riveted mail types and timeline.

Re: Rope Helmets

Re: Rope Helmets

Re: European riveted mail types and timeline.

Re: Rope Helmets

Re: Document: 1420-1421 King of France

Re: Document: 1420-1421 King of France

Re: Another mail project: "Braies d'acier" or brayettes

Re: Document: 1420-1421 King of France

Re: Document: 1420-1421 King of France

Re: Document: 1420-1421 King of France

Document: 1420-1421 King of France

Re: Leverick helmet, couple of questions?

Re: Leverick helmet, couple of questions?

Re: Material covered straps?

Re: Document: 1322 Earl of March

Re: Document: 1322 Earl of March

Re: Document: 1313 Earl of Cornwall

Re: Document: 1313 Earl of Cornwall

Re: Document: 1266 Count of Nevers

Document: 1313 Earl of Cornwall

Re: Document: 1397 Duke of Gloucester

Document: 1266 Count of Nevers

Re: Researching Mail Bevors

Re: Document: 1397 Duke of Gloucester

Re: The start of a Journey: professional armouring