The Armour Archive

The blog article isn't posted yet, but there are some fascinating photos on the V&A's Flickr photostream of the making a c.1510-30 mitten gauntlet. Unfortunately I don't know who the armourer is. Be sure to check out the photos of his shop. There are some great details that are worth enlarging (some out of focus, regrettably)- go to "all sizes" and select "original size".

Tracy

That's Emrys/ Master M.

WOW! His shop is in a cargo trailer. A true craftsman.

Ingelri

great pics thanks

great pic's, also I want his forge
something just big enough to heat small pieces of sheet in.

squeek! me want!

"WOW! His shop is in a cargo trailer. A true craftsman. "

I have a picture of his workshop when he lived in Hampshire, circa 1988, it was a small shed. when I get scans I will post.

He had some interesting pieces in that there place.

Damned, and I allways thought my shop is small!!!! Hat off for Emrys!
I just wonder what he does during winter... Very nice work, seeing it really temting me to return to the shop even now at 10:30 PM... working after the original you can handle is blessing...

Jiri

He does nice work.

And he is a nice guy too.

We don't hear about him in the US, I guess it is a combination of working in England and having a web presence.

He was at the Wallace when I accidentally stopped by and got to play with the stech harness while it was in pieces. Well, and the A-21 harness for the man while it was being set up again. He wanted to get a video of how the left arm moved from the stech so I was forced (horrors of all horrors) put it on and move slowly to he could get it at all points in motion. I wonder if I could get a copy of that? I wouldn't mind at all getting together again when I am actually awake instead of being jet-lagged.

That/those gauntlets are similar to some in the Fitzwilliam, and like ones I have seen somewhere before...

http://www.allenantiques.com/A-104.html

It is a fun early 16th century form. Complete with narrow cuff that is narrow enough that it has to open up to let you get into it.

Somehow I don't end up actually copying pieces, but it is nice to be able to play with pieces while making something. It really can make getting the right feel a lot easier. I have come close to copying a few little bits over the years, but I usually have to change something.

Wade

earnest carruthers wrote:"WOW! His shop is in a cargo trailer. A true craftsman. "

I have a picture of his workshop when he lived in Hampshire, circa 1988, it was a small shed. when I get scans I will post.

He had some interesting pieces in that there place.

Thankfully, I've had the luxury of steadily increasing the size of my shop over the years. I too once used to make armour in a small, leaning shed behind a fellow armourer's house. Before that we used a small lean-to garage behind his house. I have many fond memories of making armour with "what we had". I now have a 2,000 square foot unfinished basement to play in. About half of that will remain my shop when the rest is finished.

Ingelri

If we are going to talk shops, I think Tom would probably win for the smallest shop with the most tools in it. Tiny. Low ceiling... small.

My shop is a shed behind another shed. The real shop is 12x20. Shed up front has some room used for storage and a shear. Concrete floor in the shop. Wood floor in the front shed. I tried to work in it for a while. The bounce in the floor absorbed way too much of my hammer blows. 12x20 is probably big enough for one person doing hand work. It would be bad for 2 and impossible with any big tools like power hammers.

Wade