Right Vambrace
Culture
Southern German
Dateabout 1530–1540, with restorations from 1800s
Mediumsteel
Dimensions50.5 × 13 cm (19 7/8 × 5 1/8 in.), 2 lb, 9 oz (weight)
ClassificationsArms and Armor
Credit LineThe John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection
Object number2014.1166.9
DescriptionEach comprising a tubular turner of two lames, a tubular upper cannon of one plate, a winged bracelet couter of three lames and a tubular lower cannon of two plates.The TURNER is in each case formed of two upward-overlapping lames of which the lower one completely encircles the arm and is closed at the inside of it by a backward-overlapping join secured by a pair of vertically-aligned, externally flush rivets, and the upper one covers the outside of the arm only. The two lames are joined along a concave line that is cut into the upper edge of the lower lame at its outside and decorated with a filed ogee. The lames are connected to one another by a pair of round-headed rivets with circular internal washers. The upper edge of each turner is cut away in a diagonal line that curves beneath the armpit at the inside, and rises to a convex apex at the outside where it is pierced with a pair of lace-holes. Attached by a single externally-flush rivet at the inside of the upper edge of each turner is a modern, downturned, flat hook intended to prevent the strap at the lower end of the pauldron from riding up. The lower lame of the right turner is pierced at the outside of the arm with a hole that may at some time have borne a stud intended to engage a hole pierced in the lower edge of the right pauldron HAM 2588.e. The upper edge of the lower lame of the right turner is broken away and repaired with a small riveted internal patch just above and to the inside of its front articulating-rivet. The lower edge of the turner overlaps the upper cannon and is attached to it by round-headed rivets with circular internal washers that move within long horizontal slots cut in the front and rear of its upper edge.
The tubular UPPER CANNON is in each case closed at the rear by an inward-overlapping join secured by four externally-flush rivets. Its lower end is cut away in a concave curve at the inside of the elbow, and overlapped at the outside by the couter.
The COUTER is in each case formed of three upward-overlapping lames of which the short upper and lower ones cover only the outside of the arm, and the larger central one completely encircles it, being closed at the rear by an inward-overlapping join secured by three externally-flush rivets. The central lame is well shaped to the point of the elbow. It expands markedly in height at the front to form a large oval wing that is linked by a narrow, V-shaped pucker that curves around the inside of the arm, to a smaller wing at the rear having concave cutouts at the top and bottom of its outer end. The lames of the couter are connected to one another and to the upper and lower cannons by rivets at both the front and rear ends. All of the rivets are round-headed with the exception of those that connect the front ends of the upper and lower lames of the right couter to their respective upper and lower cannons, which are externally flush to permit the overlap of the inner end of the wing of the couter. Most of the round-headed rivets are fitted with circular internal washers.
The tapering, tubular LOWER CANNON is in each case formed of an inner and outer plate. The shorter inner plate, which is cut away in a concave curve at its upper end to clear the inside of the elbow, fits within the outer plate. The two plates are connected to one another at the front by an internal hinge secured at either end by a pair of vertically-aligned, round-headed rivets. The hinges are accommodated within a flaring notch cut in the front edge of the inner plate. Both the inner and outer plates are decorated with filed nicks adjacent to the barrel of the hinge. The nicks of the left vambrace are smaller and closer set than those of the right vambrace. The lower cannon is in each case fastened at the rear by a plain, circular stud riveted midway down the rear edge of the inner plate, that engages a corresponding hole in the rear edge of the outer plate. The stud of the right lower cannon is missing. The outer plate of the right lower cannon is pierced near its the rear edge just below the center with a rivet-hole for the attachment of a missing internal strap that would have passed around the outside of the forearm to issue from a vertical slot cut in the center of the inner plate, to be secured by a missing buckle attached by a single rivet located a short distance to the rear of that slot. The outer plates of the lower cannon are in each case crudely pierced near their lower front corners with holes for the attachment of the associated gauntlets HAM 2588.i & j.
The main edges of the vambraces bear inward turns, all of which are strongly file-roped except for those at the top of the right turner and inside of the right upper cannon which are plain and somewhat angular. The turns are in each case bordered by pairs of recessed bands of which the outer one ones are somewhat wider than the inner ones and separated from them by raised ribs and enclosed by pairs of lines. The central lame of each couter is decorated at the point of the elbow with thirteen radiating lobes of petal-like form, each of which is embossed in relief and outlined by a single incised line. The lobes are framed within a circular rib enclosed by pairs incised lines. The front of the same lame is decorated medially with a series of outward-overlapping scales that narrow toward the inside of the elbow. The scales are embossed in relief and outlined by single incised lines. The scales are bordered above and below by pairs of raised ribs that converge toward the inside of the elbow. The raised ribs are in each case enclosed by pairs of incised lines.
The outer of the pairs of recessed bands that border the vambraces are etched with running foliage and flowers on a stippled and blackened ground, inspired by the decoration of the breastplate and tassets HAM 2588.c.
The vambraces are bright with an overall light patina and some patches of mild pitting. The etched decoration shows some wear at points.
It is clear that the vambraces are to some extent composite and restored, and that the decoration is largely and perhaps entirely spurious. The left vambrace is significantly heavier than the right. The embossing on the left couter is inferior to that of the right, which it copies.
The turners and the upper cannons of the two vambraces differ from one another not only in the character of their turns, but in the character of their internal patination. The left turner and upper cannon may well be restored, despite their sound workmanship. The central lame of the left couter appears to be a slightly inferior copy of the right one, raising the strong possibility that it too is restored. The same appears to apply to the first and third lames of the left couter, which are not of a convincing shape and have their articulating rivets set too close to the edges. The left lower cannon is also likely to be of modern manufacture in that its internal color is unconvincing and its unturned edges show no persuasive evidence of age. The major elements of the right vambrace appear to be authentic but might nevertheless have been associated with one another. The upper and lower articulating-rivets at the front of the couter do not align with one another as well as would be expected, and the front end of the lowest lame of the couter appears to have been cut to fit its present context.
The etching of the left vambrace is modern throughout. The etching of the right vambrace is more convincing in character. A small section of the border of the wing of the couter appears to be modern, but could perhaps represent refreshing since it occurs in an area that has suffered heavy pitting and subsequent cleaning. Most convincing of the etching is that of the lower cannon of the right vambrace. However the upper border of its inner plate shows traces of two concentric lines, presumably representing the remains of earlier decoration that has been deliberately removed, raising doubts concerning the authenticity of the present decoration. Traces of similar concentric lines can be found on the upper end of the lower lame of each turner, the lower end of the left upper cannon, and the upper end of the inner plate of the left lower cannon. The fact that both vambraces show these lines suggest that they may already have been mounted as a pair prior to being decorated for incorporation into the armor HAM 2588
ProvenanceStadtrath Richard Zschille (Grossenhain, Saxony) Oliver H.P. Belmont (New York and Newport) Clarence H. Mackay (died 1939) Purchased by Museum on April 1, 1940 from Jacques Seligmann & Co. (NYC), agents for estate of Clarence H. Mackay, dealer's no. A-41/114. Collection transfer from Higgins Armory, January 2014.
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