The Armour Archive

Tobias 'the Tobinator' Capwell is at it again. Get a load of his new harness here:

http://www.companie-of-st-george.ch/cms ... _berne08_1

Click on the you tube like film and enjoy ( commentary all in German) Dig the amazing brigandine breastplate combo as well as the articulated lower vambrace. I love this guy !!

Ok I officially feel like a complete and total moron for not cashing in half of my stocks to go to that event.

Crazy.

That must probably be the coolest breastplate ever.. *drool*

Toby looks Tres Chique, but I must admit I never really bought that rig as being a real thing, but more of a nod to antiquity in the depiction of a Military Saint in a donor portrait.

I only wish I'd have had a brig that would have fitted him

What is up with the guy in the tournament with the Roman helm? Everything looks fantastic, and I would expect nothing else from the Company of Saynte George - that one detail on that one jouster, which they obviously have no control over, looks just SO out of place.

I think I shall have to start calling Toby St. Toby now...

chef de chambre wrote:Toby looks Tres Chique, but I must admit I never really bought that rig as being a real thing, but more of a nod to antiquity in the depiction of a Military Saint in a donor portrait.

What is up with the guy in the tournament with the Roman helm? Everything looks fantastic, and I would expect nothing else from the Company of Saynte George - that one detail on that one jouster, which they obviously have no control over, looks just SO out of place.

I believe the tournament was based on the story of Jason and the Golden Fleece. My guess is that the Classical soldier guy is the soldiers Jason fights I noticed the Bull/Ox as well. I would have thought you'd have caught that Chef being Mr. Burgundy.
The 15th century tournament being what it was I really wouldn't be surprised to see accounts of armour made for a tournament based on items we would discount. There are enough 15th century pieces as it is that if I only saw them in paintings I wouldn't believe they were ever done.

Cadell wrote:Tobias 'the Tobinator' Capwell is at it again. Get a load of his new harness here:

http://www.companie-of-st-george.ch/cms ... _berne08_1

Click on the you tube like film and enjoy ( commentary all in German) Dig the amazing brigandine breastplate combo as well as the articulated lower vambrace. I love this guy !!

Well, the comentary is actually in "switzerduitsch". As german I can understand most of it, but it is anything but german.

It's something like ... you guys in the US speak exactly like scot's or the irish ....

Greetings

Kalle

Gorgeous suit.... That event also just looked amazing. *sigh*

Hi Brent,

I couldn't follow the Switzerdeutch very well - it is much different than the German you get in college or High School in the US, but I did get that the festival was linked to that new exhibition.

I guess my problem was that if it was an attempt to show the Fleece cycle, it wasn't done in the way the Burgundians envisioned it? When you look to Franco-Flemish art of the region and time, you don't see Ancient Greeks and Romans parading about in Imperial Gallic helmets or Corinthians, with fore and aft horsehair crests, so it was set up to clue Modern people, not replicate the original. It probably met the organizers intents.

Toby did an excellent job of recreating the image of that Military St., but I still do not believe the image shows armour that was really in use.

It apes classical forms. Notice, there is no opening for the brigandine, front or side, and it follows the hemline of the classical Greco-Roman muscle cuirasse - I think we see an artist trying to depict an Ancient character, lending realisim through aspects of armour he saw in the few classical images then available, rather than replicating a genuine piece.

I should emphasize that this is the coolest event I have ever seen, and I wish Wolfe Argent could have been present and participate.

who made the harness?

chef de chambre wrote:I guess my problem was that if it was an attempt to show the Fleece cycle, it wasn't done in the way the Burgundians envisioned it? When you look to Franco-Flemish art of the region and time, you don't see Ancient Greeks and Romans parading about in Imperial Gallic helmets or Corinthians, with fore and aft horsehair crests, so it was set up to clue Modern people, not replicate the original. It probably met the organizers intents.

If you look at representations of that part of the story they are actually rather rare and yea the representations are pretty much useless and would be even more useless for a modern audience.

The trumpeter in the mirror shades made me chuckle, I mean the look ... it's so 80's!

armourboy wrote:The trumpeter in the mirror shades made me chuckle, I mean the look ... it's so 80's!

I thought i imagined those!

The armour does look nice indeed. As to maker he seems to have kept his armet and had it repolished, the shoulders appear to be by William West of http://www.englyshe-plate-armourie.co.uk/Contents.html but i could be mistaken.

Matt

When I click through to this page I get the Company of St. Geo's page ON TOP of the news report. That is to say I can't see more than about a quarter of the window(?) with the video. I see from the postings, that others have been able to see the video. What's the trick?

Mac

Same here....its odd.

I'm not sure that that will be his new normal jousting harness. That tournament was high end, and some of the kit was made specially for it. I'll find out tomorrow though, cause they'll all be at the tournament at the tower. If you're in London come check it out. It should be great.

I cant even see a video only a x. Does anyone have a link on you tube? I have tried searching but no luck yet.
Andrew
edit- just found this.
http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/multimedia/ ... ality=high

The link that's embedded strangely on the Companie of Saynte George page is this:

http://www.sf.tv/videoplayer/embed/c275c449-03a9-49f9-8000-ba788d3b0e26&live=false

Thanks Steph! I could not se the video. I wish I could attend an event that looked like that. I'd even go 15th century in order to do so.

I want to go too!

Kalle Ommer wrote::twisted:

It's something like ... you guys in the US speak exactly like Scots or the Irish

Or both at once, to sound like neither, in the end.

Most Americans' exposure to Irish tones comes from Irish Spring soap commercials and the leprechaun that pitches Lucky Charms cereal, and the occasional touring Irish folk music group.

And there're stage Scotsmen like the late James Doohan. Shoot, there are stage Scotsmen performing in Scotland.

I think actually the American accent has something in common with the Australian -- we've both developed an arid-country twang and nasality over much of our respective continents, though the Australian is closer to its dialect-Brit roots in those un-Cockney Cockney noises, in large part because it's two centuries younger than the American, which got properly going about the late 17th century, as opposed to Oz's early 19th.

Sorry you didn't 'get' Luke's getup Bob.

If you'll actually look at what Luke is wearing, he has his normal 15thC harness. He's not 'parading around in an 'Imperial-Gallic helmet', his armet (which is Jeff's by the way, Luke borrowed it for this trip) has been tricked out with a Greek crest to keep with the rest of the costume. And make no mistake, it was INTENDED to be a costume, albiet with a 15th C. eye.

You really missed the boat if you think he looks out of place. I just got a note from Toby this morning, thanking me for Luke's outfit, which he said looked 'stupendous', and that it really gelled with his. He went on to say 'The sight of Luke galloping onto the field, white samite flying everywhere, will remain for me one of the lasting images of the event. '.

I guess it's one of those things where you just had to be there. Looks like it's a good thing I didn't post the photo of the sword combat Toby included with his note, where he's edited in dialog from Star Wars.

Gwen

"i don't speak freaky deak dutch"


I wanna tilt so bad


Went to the HE jouster meet and greet at Pennsic, stayed till my back hurt too bad for me to pay any attention. Bayer back and body wore off.

I really need to learn to ride better.

Andrew Bodley wrote:I cant even see a video only a x. Does anyone have a link on you tube? I have tried searching but no luck yet.
Andrew
edit- just found this.
http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/multimedia/ ... ality=high

That is an interesting aketon that he is wearing. It looks like the strips down the arms are thin leather.

Anyone know what they are?

Black Swan Designs wrote:Sorry you didn't 'get' Luke's getup Bob.

If you'll actually look at what Luke is wearing, he has his normal 15thC harness. He's not 'parading around in an 'Imperial-Gallic helmet', his armet (which is Jeff's by the way, Luke borrowed it for this trip) has been tricked out with a Greek crest to keep with the rest of the costume. And make no mistake, it was INTENDED to be a costume, albiet with a 15th C. eye.

You really missed the boat if you think he looks out of place. I just got a note from Toby this morning, thanking me for Luke's outfit, which he said looked 'stupendous', and that it really gelled with his. He went on to say 'The sight of Luke galloping onto the field, white samite flying everywhere, will remain for me one of the lasting images of the event. '.

I guess it's one of those things where you just had to be there. Looks like it's a good thing I didn't post the photo of the sword combat Toby included with his note, where he's edited in dialog from Star Wars.

Gwen

Well, you only saw him in a seconds worth of footage on the video on the St. George site, and flying past.

Perhaps I am incorrrect, and I am perfectly willing to be corrected on this, I don't see a lot of 15th century imagry showing ancient greek personages with fore and aft horsehair crests on helmets in Flemish art.

I would have thought a real cue for the theme being the tournament of the golden fleece would have been a bush or small tree, with a 'gold' fleece hanging in it.

Kalle Ommer wrote:

Cadell wrote:Tobias 'the Tobinator' Capwell is at it again. Get a load of his new harness here:

http://www.companie-of-st-george.ch/cms ... _berne08_1

Click on the you tube like film and enjoy ( commentary all in German) Dig the amazing brigandine breastplate combo as well as the articulated lower vambrace. I love this guy !!

Well, the comentary is actually in "switzerduitsch". As german I can understand most of it, but it is anything but german.

It's something like ... you guys in the US speak exactly like scot's or the irish ....

Greetings

Kalle

Schweizerdeutsch!

Chochichästli

chef de chambre wrote:

Black Swan Designs wrote:Sorry you didn't 'get' Luke's getup Bob.

If you'll actually look at what Luke is wearing, he has his normal 15thC harness. He's not 'parading around in an 'Imperial-Gallic helmet', his armet (which is Jeff's by the way, Luke borrowed it for this trip) has been tricked out with a Greek crest to keep with the rest of the costume. And make no mistake, it was INTENDED to be a costume, albiet with a 15th C. eye.

You really missed the boat if you think he looks out of place. I just got a note from Toby this morning, thanking me for Luke's outfit, which he said looked 'stupendous', and that it really gelled with his. He went on to say 'The sight of Luke galloping onto the field, white samite flying everywhere, will remain for me one of the lasting images of the event. '.

I guess it's one of those things where you just had to be there. Looks like it's a good thing I didn't post the photo of the sword combat Toby included with his note, where he's edited in dialog from Star Wars.

Gwen

Well, you only saw him in a seconds worth of footage on the video on the St. George site, and flying past.

Perhaps I am incorrrect, and I am perfectly willing to be corrected on this, I don't see a lot of 15th century imagry showing ancient greek personages with fore and aft horsehair crests on helmets in Flemish art.

I would have thought a real cue for the theme being the tournament of the golden fleece would have been a bush or small tree, with a 'gold' fleece hanging in it.

For fxxx's sake Bob, get a clue. And loosen up a bit.

I jousted Toby last weekend, looked carefully at his armour and grooved on the -concept- of the harness. Thought there were some issues with the execution, but knowing the painting and having seen it in 05, I thought it was cool. It also caused me to reevaluate the "ancient" styles of armour shown in pictures and sculptures from the 15th and 16th centuries.

This is not a field harness, but an armour for a special occasion-- tournament/joust, specifically a Pas d'arms, which, by its nature is a theatrical sort of event. The armour is completely appropriate, and so is Luke's, given the modern reconstruction for a modern audience.

I really wish you'd look at things more carefully before you judge them. Your attitude and uninformed rush to judgement really do you a disservice.

Firstly, I think I need to point out that I thought the event itself was very cool.

That said, I did not realize I was not entitled to an opinion regarding a particular piece of art that I have been familiar with for many years, regarding a subject I have studied fairly extensively (brigandines, in particular). There is, in my opinion, no way that painting represents an actual armour that existed.

I do not think St. Vincents armour, in that form, ever existed, but that a 15th century artist interpreted classical costume in a way that their intended audience could appreciate for familiarity, and the rendered realisim of detail.

As a costume for a joust, tasken directly from a 15th century source, Toby's armour was very cool - I said as much. I think it was spot on for that purpose, unlike the crest on Lukes helmet, (IMO). I find the latter personally jarring, but as I wrote in reponse to Brent, It makes perfect sense to cue a modern audience, but I doubt that would be the cue used in a 15th century tournament.

chef de chambre wrote:As a costume for a joust, tasken directly from a 15th century source, Toby's armour was very cool - I said as much. I think it was spot on for that purpose, unlike the crest on Lukes helmet, (IMO). I find the latter personally jarring, but as I wrote in reponse to Brent, It makes perfect sense to cue a modern audience, but I doubt that would be the cue used in a 15th century tournament.

You really should visit the clue store, dude.


............Sheesh.

I was at the Tower joust this past weekend (letting little kiddies get their greasy acid laden fingers on my armour) and saw Mr Capwell in full rig taking part , Magnificent ! He looked and rode like a Lord and that's the overall feeling I still have. The boldness to commission a harness like that. It's totally in keeping with a great Prince of the time.

Armourer " Your Grace it is a painting such armour does not exist".

Dukes reply "I care not- I will have it- make it so!".....

Now that's style!.... Oh and a word to the wise, just don't ever be late passing Tobias Capwell a lance. Enough said.

Jeffrey Hedgecock wrote:

chef de chambre wrote:As a costume for a joust, tasken directly from a 15th century source, Toby's armour was very cool - I said as much. I think it was spot on for that purpose, unlike the crest on Lukes helmet, (IMO). I find the latter personally jarring, but as I wrote in reponse to Brent, It makes perfect sense to cue a modern audience, but I doubt that would be the cue used in a 15th century tournament.

You really should visit the clue store, dude.


............Sheesh.

The definition of "cluless" does not automatically equate to an opinion contrary to yours, Jeff.

chef de chambre wrote:
The definition of "cluless" does not automatically equate to an opinion contrary to yours, Jeff.

Don't let it bother you Bob. They don't want friends that have an opinion, they want sycophants that will slavishly follow them.

Trust me on this.

It looked like a lot of fun! I saw one pair of sunglasses on a trumpeter, but it made me a laugh WITH him and feel a little better about my rather lack of authencity sometimes.

Someday I'll get to Germany, but I don't think it's soon.

-Aaron

Rod Walker wrote:

chef de chambre wrote:
The definition of "cluless" does not automatically equate to an opinion contrary to yours, Jeff.

Don't let it bother you Bob. They don't want friends that have an opinion, they want sycophants that will slavishly follow them.

Trust me on this.

Bless!

Please keep it civil, or this will end up looking like a Monty Python skit gone badly, in armour.

-Aaron