Right Pauldron

Artist Franz Großschedel , and/or (Landshut, Southern Germany, 1555 – 1580)

Artist Wolfgang Großschedel (Landshut, Southern Germany, 1517 – 1562)

Date1560–1570

Mediumsteel and brass with modern leather and cordage

Dimensions18 × 26 × 28 cm (7 1/16 × 10 1/4 × 11 in.), 2 lb 9 oz (weight)

ClassificationsArms and Armor

Credit LineThe John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection

Terms

Object number2014.1139.5

Description* Right pauldron consists of 6 upwardly overlapping lames, and is cut out at the front of armpit, with rounded corners on the front. The top three lames are well-formed to the body, and curve down in a flattened S-shape over the chest. These lames articulate on four sets of internal leathers and on sliding-rivets at the rear. The mainlame extends over the shoulder-blade where it is deeply bossed out and drawn out in a triangular flange at the rear of the armpit.

Below the mainlame, over the arm is a set of three lames which are curved and fairly deep, pointed at the rear, and curved at the front.

The perimeter of the pauldron has a fine, inwardly-turned edge that is roped with close-set file marks. Bordering the rear edge of the mainlame are iron, brass-capped rivets retaining a lining-strap beneath the circular washers within. The upper edge of all lames is beveled, with a V-shaped nick at the low medial ridge that extends full-length. At its central, front face the mainlame is pierced with a transverse pair of holes fitted with brass, floral eyelets for points. Extending longitudinally along the front half top edge of the lame above is a row of three modern rivets; these plug old locator holes which probably held a lost haute-piece.

The pauldron is decorated en suite, with a medial band of the primary motif, and another forward near the leading edge. These extend down from the heart and wave motif bordering the front edge of the mainlame and those above, extending rearward along the upper edge of the top lame. The posterior half of these plates is covered in an etched maze of strapwork and undulating tendrils on a blackened ground. The lower edge of the basal lame on the arm is etched to match the top lame of the collar and the neck opening of the cuirass. (compare the pauldron, which is for field and Freiturnier, to those of A.535 at Vienna (Gamber, fig. 2) and G.63, .64 and .65 all at Paris (Landshuter Plattnerkunst, plts. 47, 49, and 59, respectively).)
ProvenanceEx-collection the duc de Noailles (France) the dealer Foury (Paris) Clarence H. Mackay (Roslyn, L.I.) Purchased by the Armory from the estate of Clarence H. Mackay, through Jacques Seligmann & Co. (New York City) on 1 April 1940, their number A-5/115. Collection transfer from Higgins Armory, Janaury 2014.

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