The Armour Archive

And, if so, what time, and roughly what place?
Greetings!
Wondering if the following could be matched to an area in period where it would be historically defensible;
1. Simple elbows w/fans
2. Polyens for knees
3. Leather vambraces
4. Split 'quatered' colored long tabard
5. What MAY be a 'pot helm' (not sure) with a small grill area (I know the grill area won't be."
---and the hard ones--
7-9 Torse (being, as I understand it, a circular construction around the top section of a helm,) horsehair crest (or a sugestion on something else easily made), and mantle (if that is what I'm thinking of, a cloth 'drape' atached to the top part of a helm)
I'm wanting to do a little work in makin a more period tournament appearance, yet am NOT a greatly skilled worker at crafts. The armor parts I already have (the helmet 'hides' perhaps entirely, a stainless steel gorget w/one front and a couple of back articulated plates)

Thanks!
Valstarr

It sounds roughly like the makings of an early 14th century harness, probably equally appropriate for most of Western Europe during that time.

*excepting the horsehair crest. For something simple and more appropriate you might try maling something made of leather or just stick with the torus and mantle.

Go ahead and describe the helm -- round on top/square on top/shaped like a bucket? Shape of eyeslots, open face or closed in, breaths in faceplate? Spangen construction like a Viking hat, or is it plates riveted together in whatever shape, and how many plates? Does any part of it resemble one of the helmeted smilies, perhaps?

Thank you for the replies so far,
As to the helm shape, I will try to get a look at it for a better description (I'm at work,) but here is a 'glancing memory' of it;
+ It has a basically flat top
+ That top may be hexagonal or octagonal
+ I don't think it is either exactly 'round' but it would be more circular that rectangular
+ The grillgoes out and back in, a rough 'V' shape, but the grill is back in above the mouth (I think)
+ It is a BIG helm...it has to be, for me to wear it, as my gorget is for the 24" neck that I, roughly (and largely speaking have.

I will try to get more info on it..I bought in in the summer of 86, give or take, in western Ansteorra..a solid hunk of metal.

Would the torse and matle be appropriate without a crest? What other type(s) of crest could be made relatively easily?

Thanks!
Valstarr