Rennzeug (armor for the "joust of war")
Artist
workshops of Wolf and Peter von Speyer
, or (Germany)
Artist
Wolf Peppinghorn
(Saxony, Germany)
Dateabout 1590–1600
Mediumsteel with remnants of fire-blackening, iron, brass, leather, fabric and horsehair stuffing
Dimensions185.1 cm (72 7/8 in.), 98 lb, 6.5 oz (weight)
ClassificationsArms and Armor
MarkingsMounting hole at neck of target identified with group of 4 punched dots around a fifth; similar group on hole in reinforcing bevor which also has single serial dot to left of middle hole in right row of mounting-holes; breastplate & its reinforce are identically marked to one another. There is single dot aligned with that noted above, 2 below hole below left armpit, 4 above top hole for lance-rest & 3 at hole below. The various screws are punched with corresponding location-dots.
Breastplate also has traces of triple line decoration at side edges; backplate was also once decorated on exterior with pairs of narrow lines extending down from neck & arms, converging at the waist where it is marked with punched dot
Collar has punched dot at center & either end of topmost lame.
Left vambrace has pair of punched dots within, on the lower edge of upper cannon lower half; right vambrace has punched dot at either end of tendon protector outer face, double nick marks on edges of upper cannon lames & single nicks on lower.
Right cuisse has single nick mark on inner side edges of poleyn lames, with 2 nicks on each of left.
Greaves have Augsburg pinecone view-mark (Stadtpyr) atop the frontplate near edge, and single nicks on inside edges of ankle-& sabaton lames of right defense.
Credit LineThe John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection
Object number2014.1175
DescriptionThis armor, its finish and minor details aside, is near-identical to WAM 2014.1154. Only those exceptions of note will be detailed here. Consists of Rennhut with Bracket; Bevor; Gorget; Breastplate with tassets and restored rest; Reinforcing breastplate; Backplate; Pauldrons; Vambraces (not a pair); Cuisses; associated Greaves with Sabatons; Manifer; Right gauntlet; Tilting-target; Pasguard. There is also a restored Besagew, 10 oz., which does not belong. It is shown on armor 2610 on p. 71 of the 1961 HAM catalogue.
The suit features roped edges, and recessed borders with inward cusps. An earlier blackened finish can be seen on the breastplate where it was covered by the reinforce.
See also a detailed description by Grancsay in digital/hardcopy file.
Label TextThis specialized jousting armor evolved from knightly battlefield armor of the late Middle Ages. The jouster tucked his lance under his right armpit, using the adjoining triangular “lance-rest” to help control it. The shield bolted to his left side served as a target for the opponent. Jousters scored points by breaking their lances or unseating their opponents. This armor was made for the Saxon court at Dresden, and continued to see use for many years after. The stabilizing bracket behind the helmet and breastplate was added a hundred years after the armor was made, at a time when jousters were much less sure of their skills.ProvenanceDresden Electoral Armory (possibly) Friedrich August III, King of Saxony Kahlert & Son (Berlin), their no. 87 William R. Hearst Clarence H. MacKay (Roslyn, L. I.) his A-32. Sold with shaffron HAM# 2586.2. Purchased by the Armory from Jacques Seligmann & Co. (NYC), agents for the Mackay estate on 1 April 1940, their A-32/113. Collection transfer from Higgins Armory, Janaury 2014.
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