Left Tasset (thigh guard) from a child's ceremonial armor

Culture Southern German , Augsburg

Dateabout 1620

Mediumsteel

Dimensions10 × 24 cm (3 15/16 × 9 7/16 in.), 6 oz (weight)

ClassificationsArms and Armor

Credit LineThe John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection

Terms

Object number2014.926.2

DescriptionThe tassets are symmetrical, mirror-images of one another. They are trapezoidal in form, of one piece, pseudo-laminate construction, shaped to the thighs. The basal and side edges are finishd as the side edges of the skirt, and the plain upper edge is pierced with a keyhole slot at the outer and oblong slot at the inner edges.

Each tasset has two groups of decorative domed rivets in an L-shaped pattern below the attachment slots. The two sides and basal edge are fitted with 15 domed, lining-retaining rivets (one lacking from lower inner corners of right tasset), only four of those of the left tasset retain their circular washers. On each tasset the uppermost rivet on either side is merely decorative.

The outer and basal edges of both tassets, and the lower lame of the skirt retain traces of a gold-painted running foliate design within gold lines, on a blued ground. The extreme outer edge of these borders is also gilded. The inner edges of the tassets has traces of a similarly applied trophied décor. This seems to be carried from the trophied groups of the bands along the medial line, and centered on the lames and tassets to either side. These bands, while nearly completely worn away, appear to consist of painted panoplied groups of arms and other trophies and other devices, with undulating ribbons on the blue ground contained within their gold-painted ventral lines. The upper edge of each skirt lame, as well as those of the tassets, have traces of thin gold painted line borders, imitating the laminations of articulated tassets. The tassets additionally have fragments of these transverse gilded lines across their faces.

Steel, once blued, with traces of gold-painted decoration. Mirror-image mate to WAM 2014.926.3. Tapezoidal, of 1 piece, pseudo-laminate construction & concave to body. Basal & side edges inwardly turned & plain, top edge pierced with keyhole & oblong slots for attachment to fauld (2014.926.1). Decorative, domed rivets at ends, & sides & bottom followed by similarly formed lining-band rivets, some with circular washers within. Traces of gold decoration as found on 2014.926.1, as well as traces of transverse, gold lines across face of each simulated lame.
ProvenancePurchased by John W. Higgins on September 28, 1929 from estate of Bashford Dean (Riverdale, NY). Given to the Museum December 26, 1946. Collection transfer from Higgins Armory, January 2014.

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