Breastplate
Culture
Northern Italian
, Milan
Date1560–1570
Mediumsteel (once blued) with gilding, brass, and iron with modern leather
Dimensions46 × 35 × 19 cm (18 1/8 × 13 3/4 × 7 1/2 in.), 7 lb, 8 oz (weight)
ClassificationsArms and Armor
Credit LineThe John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection
Object number2014.12.2
DescriptionOf one piece, graceful peasecod form, downcurved along a full-length medial ridge to a rounded point just below the waistline. The curved armpits are fitted with flexible gussets etched with gilded granular bands of foliate tendrils once blued. The squared-off top of each gusset has a modern buckle riveted to its face; there is a vacant hole on each gusset suggesting that a leather was once fitted in place of the buckle and engaged a buckle on the backplate shoulder. The edges of the gussets and of the curved neck opening are hollow-turned inwardly and chisel roped, with traces of gilding preserved. The neck opening is bordered with an etched, trophied band which widens to the medial line, and is bordered below with an embossed rib, etched with gilded guilloche. Bordering the armpits and the straight lower rear edges of the breastplate are tendril-filled etched and gilded bands like those of the gussets. Extending down the medial line and from each armpit to a guilloche band that encircles the bend of the waist are tapering bands of etched trophies once blued, on a granular gilded ground within narrow etched sunken bands. To either side of the top of the medial band between it and the band above, is a triangular trophied group framed below by a recurved dolphin motif.
On the right side, near the upper end of the band at the armpit, the breastplate is pierced with a vertical pair of plain large holes for a lance-rest now lost. The breastplate is finished in a curved, narrow basal flange which is downturned, and to the ends of which is riveted a two-lamed skirt. Decorative bands of trophies radiate across the flange and skirt, onto the tassets.
The skirt lames are narrow, curving down to the fork from a slight spring for the hips. They are of equal depth over their length, and slightly angled at the ends which are edged with tropied bands between a pair of low, guilloche-etched ribs.
A similar, but tendril-filled band with a pair of flush iron rivets arches across the curve of the basal lame at its fork which is inwardly turned and chisel-roped. The lames are riveted together at the ends. Along each side of the trendril-etched upper edge of the basal lame is a set of three leathers with brass rivets and rosettes for the tassets. The less-than-perfect fit of the topmost lame to the flange, and a lack of alignment of the etched bands on the face suggests that the lames, while similar, may not belong, or that a third lame above is lost.
ProvenanceEarls of Pembroke and Montgomery (Wilton House, Wiltshire, England) to 14 June 1923 Joseph Duveen, their no. 28637. Purchased by John W. Higgins on 18 January 1928. Given to the Armory on 21 March 1928. Collection tarnsfer from Higgins Armory, January 2014.
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