The Armour Archive

A parade armor? If so, why mount the scales to a steel breastplate? Or is this merely one more example of the Italians clinging to their Roman heritage?

http://www.hermitage.nl/en/tentoonstell ... punten.htm

Breastplate from a cuirass, Italy, late 16th century, Steel, ivory, forged, carved

This steel breastplate is covered with round bone platelets and (lion) masks. The soldier in the central portrait wears a helmet with a crest in the form of a mythical creature, the hydra. The cuirass imitates scale armour, which was used from antiquity.

A majority of Italian parade armor that I've seen was made to high standards of quality not only aesthetically, but also functionally. Don't see any reason why mounting the scales to steel is unreasonable. It'd probably be easier to find/make a steel one in that day in age than try to mimic the shape in another material, anyway.

-Gerhard

I would think because it allows you to retain the breastplate shape

What is the purpose of using a low quality breastplate when your wealth can easily buy you a small nation?

The lily obviously needed gilding.

Additional protection factor = 1 point. Status, "wow" factor, and conspicuous consumption factors = 10 points!

Signo wrote:What is the purpose of using a low quality breastplate when your wealth can easily buy you a small nation?

How can you call it "low quality" based on photos? Perhaps it's made from some of the finest steel available at the time... And who made it? It could have been forged by the likes of Negroli himself! Even the masters dabbled in basic armoring out of necessity. This particular example is a shapely piece, and incorporates a lovely rolled top edge. However and whoever, if the point is to cover it up completely and wear it on parade, why worry about what's underneath?

-Gerhard

NO, this is not what I meant, reading the thread a bit in a hurry I perceived the idea that someone found the breastplate not as fine as the decoration, I probably misworded my post.
What I meant is that even if it was "parade armour" there was no reason to not have it made of the best craftmanship and material of their time.

I'm not worthy.

Wow, that's stunning. 1st example like that I've ever seen. Any others like that covered with bone or ivory? Or is it unique? Well, I know its one of a kind, but anything else from that period that's similar?