Left Pauldron

Culture Northwestern European

Dateabout 1615

Mediumsteel and brass

Dimensions22 × 30 × 27 cm (8 11/16 × 11 13/16 × 10 5/8 in.), 5 lb 2 oz (weight)

ClassificationsArms and Armor

Credit LineThe John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection

Terms

Object number2014.1156.5

DescriptionCa. 1615. Symmetrical, of humped, rounded form, bulged at the shoulder-blades and outwardly curved over the chest. There are three lames above and four below the central lame, working on pivoting and sliding rivets (lower lames only) of brass, and four internal leathers.

Outer edges of upper, lower, and front and rear of central lames are inwardly turned and lightly file-marked. The edges of the central and terminal lames are turned over a wire core. The decoration generally follows that of the other components, but bears signs of re-working to match. The main lames are cusped at anterior and posterior rivets, with a V-shaped nick at the medial ridge on all lames except the lower terminal.

The terminal lame is cut with a transverse, rectangular slot and fitted with a modern buckle-and-strap arrangement for the vambrace. The uppermost lame of each has had a rivet near mid-point removed and the hole enlarged to fit over the backplate strap posts. Originally, the pauldrons were attached by buckles-and-straps, the mounting hole of this now rivet-filled, near the medial upper edge.

The upper lame of the right pauldron also has a punched set of vertically aligned dots at the medial line. The terminal lame of the left pauldron seems to be an old association, while the lower three lames of the right are apparently old restorations.
Provenance(Armor only) No provenance prior to Andrade. Purchased by John W Higgins from Cyril Andrade, Ltd (London) on 5 October 1929. Given to the Armory on 10 December 1931. Collection transfer from Higgins Armory, January 2014.

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