Robert MacPherson Spring Steel Harness for sale!

Talbot · Post by **Talbot** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 12:29 pm

I was just notified about this upcomming auction. It is for sale at Hermann Historica October 18-20. Acution #51. Here is a pic from the flier.

[img]http://talbotsfineaccessories.com/armou ... arness.JPG[/img]

That is a thing of beauty!

Henry of Bexley · Post by **Henry of Bexley** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 12:37 pm

Is that Toby Capwell's harness? It's similar-ish but there's no bling-bling crest on the helmet shown here...

Talbot · Post by **Talbot** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 12:40 pm

It has to be Toby's minus the crest. He can't have made two of them.

Henry of Bexley · Post by **Henry of Bexley** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 12:44 pm

Hmmm... college education or this harness...

Sean Powell · Post by **Sean Powell** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 1:08 pm

Holly F**K it is the Capwell Suit. I had to go check the pictures http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB2/ ... by+capwell to be 100% sure since only an INSANE person would sell a suit like that after only one year.

I wondered what happened? Did it not fit correctly or something?

Sean

RalphS · Post by **RalphS** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 2:20 pm

Come *on*! Do you think Kings and Emperors would run around in the same old armour on every tournament? One or two jousts, and then it's off to the armourer to order a new one and set the fashion for the next season!

Wait, now I remember! His suit was too large!

Jehan de Pelham · Post by **Jehan de Pelham** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 2:22 pm

If that's not Dr. Capwell's harness I'm sorely mistaken.

John
Jehan de Pelham, esquire and servant of Sir Vitus
www.mron.org

Josh W · Post by **Josh W** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 2:41 pm

Why on Earth is he selling it?

He's getting another one, right?

Mykaru · Post by **Mykaru** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 7:54 pm

Look at the one he had before. He sold it too.

Alcyoneus · Post by **Alcyoneus** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 7:55 pm

I can be evil, but not so evil as to put B********** armor on this and say "He's getting this..."

But I did consider it...

Henry of Bexley · Post by **Henry of Bexley** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 9:34 pm

I'm a 14th century guy, so the pic above really confuses me...

What are those two doing?

Murdock · Post by **Murdock** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 9:37 pm

ohh thank gawd this doesn't fit me

Symon VanMoordrecht · Post by **Symon VanMoordrecht** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 9:46 pm

I don't get it,.

I mean I can understand selling off a harness to get a better one made by a better armorer, but where on earth could you possible go AFTER owning a Mac harness?

What's the next level?

Cet · Post by **Cet** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 9:52 pm

The maintanence on the blackening must be bitch. Still though, it's hard to imagine wanting to part with something like that.

"What's the next level?"

A gold plated Mac harness?

[/quote]

Gerhard von Liebau · Post by **Gerhard von Liebau** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 10:17 pm

Horradrick wrote:I'm a 14th century guy, so the pic above really confuses me...

What are those two doing?

They were obviously getting ready (or getting done with) the tilt. That image is edited to make it look like their suits don't fit... Done well, too! At least, I hope it was edited. Ha.

I'm personally going to assume that Dr. Capwell's tastes have just changed, or perhaps that he's ready to explore the use of a different style of suit. As Cet said, maintainence may be an issue. I'll bet five dollars that the next one will be polished!

-Gregory-

Patton Lives · Post by **Patton Lives** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 12:10 am

Symon Fitz Gilbert wrote:I don't get it,.

I mean I can understand selling off a harness to get a better one made by a better armorer, but where on earth could you possible go AFTER owning a Mac harness?

What's the next level?

Mac Maximillian harness?

Mike F · Post by **Mike F** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 1:10 am

Doug, I hate you, but in a very loving way.

On the up side, that's largely the cost of a year where I am now, so at least I know what it's worth.

Unfortunatly (fortunately?) it means an education and a good career, so . . . Pass this time. Some day Mac will make one for me . . .

RalphS · Post by **RalphS** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 5:42 am

Gregory J. Liebau wrote:
Horradrick wrote:I'm a 14th century guy, so the pic above really confuses me...

What are those two doing?
They were obviously getting ready (or getting done with) the tilt. That image is edited to make it look like their suits don't fit... Done well, too! At least, I hope it was edited. Ha.

Nope, not edited. They were just goofing around: close the visor, somehow crawl down into the armour, and open the visor again. Especially Toby looked really funny the way he carefully peeked out over the bottom edge of the face opening and ducked back in again like a frightened turtle...

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 7:03 am

$56,631.02 is a steal, and I'm willing to bet he'd give you his two cents if you had the $56,631 on hand.

Gwydion Caithnes · Post by **Gwydion Caithnes** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 10:29 am

Hmmm...new house or Mac armour...

If I wasn't married...

Gest · Post by **Gest** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 10:46 am

I've thought about this... My plan has two parts. One part has a one-in-two-hundred-million chance, and the other is sheer fantasy.

First, I win the powerball lottery and can buy the suit, then I diet to fit into it. The trouble I'm having is I can't figure out which part is the sheer fantasy.

-- Gest

Chris Gilman · Post by **Chris Gilman** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 11:22 am

Drachus wrote:
Symon Fitz Gilbert wrote:I don't get it,.

I mean I can understand selling off a harness to get a better one made by a better armorer, but where on earth could you possible go AFTER owning a Mac harness?

What's the next level?
Mac Maximillian harness?

So where do I go?

Alcyoneus · Post by **Alcyoneus** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 11:38 am

Gwydion Caithnes wrote:Hmmm...new house or Mac armour...

If I wasn't married...

Buy the armor instead of the house.

Then, the married part will take care of itself.

Gwydion Caithnes · Post by **Gwydion Caithnes** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 1:05 pm

Alcyoneus wrote:
Gwydion Caithnes wrote:Hmmm...new house or Mac armour...

If I wasn't married...
Buy the armor instead of the house.

Then, the married part will take care of itself.

Right quick, too...!

Brian W. Rainey · Post by **Brian W. Rainey** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 1:31 pm

Note the different helms in the auction and the "turtle" picture. Mac made two hats for that suit. Both are absolutely superb.

Talbot · Post by **Talbot** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 3:03 pm

Aaron wrote:$56,631.02 is a steal, and I'm willing to bet he'd give you his two cents if you had the $56,631 on hand.

Remember that is just the auction estimate. It could go for more. Then there is the buyers premium (could be up to 20%) plus crating charge and the shipping from Munich.

Klaus the Red · Post by **Klaus the Red** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 3:11 pm

What blows my mind is that someone might shell out that kind of money just to have the suit for decorator/collectible purposes. Unless the potential buyer already knows Toby or Mac well enough to work out whether they happen to be Toby's size, any serious fighters have to know that this harness won't fit them quite like it should.

Klaus

Gerhard von Liebau · Post by **Gerhard von Liebau** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 3:17 pm

That doesn't really seem too unreasonable... I mean, there are plenty of folks in central Europe who are probably just dying to have a display that looks that nice, who might happen to live in castle-esque homes.

I'm sure some people who bother with the Hermann Historica auctions probably have that type of lifestyle.

-Gregory-

Klaus the Red · Post by **Klaus the Red** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 3:27 pm

Sure, except Mac's work is better than 90% of what came out of period anyway.

Mike England · Post by **Mike England** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 5:13 pm

Perhaps he is an addict like the rest of us and he has studied something new and his wife won't let him spend L30K until he sells the old armor.

Alcyoneus · Post by **Alcyoneus** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 5:30 pm

Sir Gaston wrote:
Drachus wrote:
Symon Fitz Gilbert wrote:I don't get it,.

I mean I can understand selling off a harness to get a better one made by a better armorer, but where on earth could you possible go AFTER owning a Mac harness?

What's the next level?
Mac Maximillian harness?
So where do I go?

Ugo.

Brian W. Rainey · Post by **Brian W. Rainey** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 5:36 pm

Mike England wrote:Frankly with guys like Thaden making armour from a chunk of iron there is a place to go for more authentic armour than somethign that started as sheets of 1050.

Assuming that making armour out of "chunks of iron" is authentic or would lend itself to a more authentic reproduction.

We know that armour was made from sheets of metal. We have written documentation (orders/deliveries) of iron/steel sheets being purchased. The results of which often contained high amounts of carbon (sometimes much higher than modern 1050).

The devil is in the ability to asthetically recreate the harness so that the person looks as though they stepped out of the past.... and have the harness function flawlessy (tailoring ad engineering). Things that very few can really do.

To be honest... even Mac's stuff looks too good. Even the most high quality extant harnesses have flaws that are not perpetuated by modern armourers... because we live in a world that is dominated by machined perfection and expect such perfection when we buy any type of product.

Erik D. Schmid · Post by **Erik D. Schmid** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 6:51 pm

Mike England wrote:From what I have read he paid L30K for that harness with the crest and the saddle. If he is selling just the armour he is making a profit and will have a good chuck of money to put into a commission for a new suit of armour. Frankly with guys like Thaden making armour from a chunk of iron there is a place to go for more authentic armour than somethign that started as sheets of 1050. Also I believe he had that harness commissioned after he completed his doctoral thesis on armours in funeral effigies which that armour was. So now perhaps he is an addict like the rest of us and he has studied something new and his wife won't let him spend L30K until he sells the old armor which is what he did before he got that one.

The saddle was the least expensive piece of the whole set. The price that this harness is listed at is close to what he initially paid for it. I highly doubt the money is going to go into another suit. With his new position at the Wallace Collection he will not have as much time to joust as he did before, which could be a factor in his now selling it. This could not have been a very easy decision for him as this harness is something he has wanted for many years.

Ugo · Post by **Ugo** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 7:48 pm

Ajem.... Alcy,

Nononono....NO!!!!

I'm far from being Mac-nificent or Mac-tastic, I have a long time to get there.Plus Gaston already has a bunch of my work.

Someday......Mmmmmmmaybe.

Mike England · Post by **Mike England** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 8:13 pm

Sorry Brian I should have said bloom. This keyboard sticks on the b's.

I really hope Toby is not quitting jousting and has just decided to pursue a different suit. I assume the saddle and the crest are atleast a couple thousand dollars. I hope he gets more for it than he paid, Mac is an Artist nad his works should increase in value. Sadly it does seem to me that people looking for display pieces tend to have a lot more money than people who actually want to go out there and use the armour.