Backplate
Culture
German
Dateearly 1600s
Mediumsteel, leather and paint
Dimensions35 × 35 × 13.5 cm (13 3/4 × 13 3/4 × 5 5/16 in.), 3 lb 2 oz (weight)
ClassificationsArms and Armor
MarkingsBackplate: below the neck at center is an open, incised Greek cross (see photo in digital file), and what may be a stamped "Beschau"; inside, centered on the basal flange is the painted "N. 5" found on the breastplate.
Credit LineThe John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection
Object number2014.1148.4
DescriptionProbably German (Nuremberg), early 1600s, associated to the breastplate. 1-piece beaten up just over top of shoulders where broad, straight terminals are fitted with leather straps, the right of which is old, and secured with an axial pair of domed iron rivets. The right set has brass rosettes. The neck opening is wide, and slightly depressed. The edges here and at the deep, curved armpits are inwardly turned over a thick wire core and unroped. The backplate is beaten out only slightly for the shoulder-blades, with no hollow between them. The gently rounded sides extend down to the level waist with a narrow, downturned flange whose edge is finished as above. The flange without culet curves to the body, and dips slightly to mid-width. At either end of the waistline, near the straight side edges, are the halves of the leather waist-strap, with an oblong, tongued, iron buckle on the left. The buckle loop and shank are decorated with dentated punches. The belt halves are secured by transverse pairs of domed rivets and brass rosettes.
ProvenancePurchased by Museum from J. Gluckselig & Sohn (Vienna, Austria) on December 1, 1936. Paid $300 for lot HAM#s 2383-2387. Old record states this armor was dealer's number 28, and mentions another "tag 1145". Collection transfer from Higgins Armory, Janaury 2014.
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