Right Cuisse

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

Dimensions42 × 21 × 12 cm (16 9/16 × 8 1/4 × 4 3/4 in.), 2 lb 13 oz (weight)

ClassificationsArms and Armor

Markings(right cuisse) Landshut "war hat" (?) on inside basal edge above stud on detachable upper part; small v-shaped nick in basal edge of all lames except mainplate of cuisse and poleyn; similar nick in interior upper edge of side-wing; small, punched dot on outer face of poleyn mainlame between rivets;

Credit LineThe John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection

Terms

Object number2014.1139.11

Description**Right cuisse with poleyn. Cuisses are symmetrical and a pair; shaped to thigh with full-length medial ridge, curving from the inner side turned and roped edge well over the outside of the leg where it is finished with the plain, hollow flange. The cuisse is divided obliquely into 2 halves at mid-height. The main plate has an inwardly turned, curved roped edge above, and overlaps a deep detachable plate of two upwardly-overlapping pieces. This is secured to the mainplate by short studs, and keyhole slots and a turning-pin. The upper edge of the detachable plate is plain and unturned on its lower part, and is riveted to an articulating, arched plate with rounded corners. This lame works on internal leathers near the ends and a sliding rivet centered on the outside face. The top edge of this lame is bordered with a row of brass lining-rivets and circular washers that retain a restored lining-band and an ancient leather tab. This is wide and arched, decoratively edged with hollow-capped brass nails and transversely pierced with three brass eyelet-lined holes to arming-points.

The mainplate below, with its attached poleyn, may be worn separately, secured by the transverse restored buckled straps around the knee and thigh, as well as tied down by points passing through brass eyelets at the top of the medial ridge. A vertical slot cut into the mainplate near its buckle, accommodates the tongue of the strap.

Riveted to internal lobes at the sides of the broad pointed basal edge of the mainplate is a poleyn consisting of a mainlame with slightly outcurved medial ridge, and a heart-shaped sidewing of moderate size, with inwardly turned and file-roped edges. The mainlame has wide, blunt points at the ends of the medial ridge, and overlaps a pair of narrow curved lames at top and bottom. The lames have level beveled edges above and below, curving from a vertical edge on the inner side to a pointed one on the outer. The terminal lame is straight across the knee, with the edge turned as above. The ends are truncated and pierced on the lower edge with small keyhole slots for turning-pins and studs on the greaves.

All lames have their plain edges marked with a V-shaped nicks at the medial ridge. Extending along the perimeter of the entire defense, down the medial ridge in the center of the outside face of the thigh are etched bands as cited above. The upper and lower edges of the poleyn mainlame are bordered by a guilloche design and the “flames“, carrying around the perimeter of the sidewing which is centrally etched with an multi-leaved design.

Compare these defenses to those of garniture for Kaiser Maximilian II (WSV.A.1044.1174); a small Imperial garniture at Paris (6.64) and another at Vienna (A. 1052); and the “Rosenblattgarnitur” of 1571 (A. 474) at Vienna (see Landshuter Plattnerkunst plates 41, 42, 49, 50 and 60, respectively). See also the legs to garniture no. 1.
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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