Henry VIII had them on his Greenwich armor, and I've a picture of one other from the same time frame (~1540-1550). Does anyone have documentation for earlier examples?
A picture would be helpful. Henry has quite a few suits extant. If you are refering to a guard of the vambrace, that was a common feature on Italian armour from the 1440's, and on German armour from the 1470's.
If you are refering to a guard of the vambrace, that was a common feature on Italian armour from the 1440's, and on German armour from the 1470's.