Right Vambrace
Culture
Italian
, possibly Milan
Dateabout 1510
Mediumetched steel with traces of gilding, brass, leather
Dimensions47 × 12 cm (18 1/2 × 4 3/4 in.), 2 lb 6 oz (weight)
ClassificationsArms and Armor
Credit LineThe John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection
Object number2014.806.8
DescriptionMilanese (?) c. 1510 (cf. Musee de l'Armee G.7). Right arm defense of 2-piece construction, upper half rotating in rolled, riveted upper cannon, lower edge of which is scalloped and later etched with swirling foliate pattern; border, inwardly-flanged, decorated with repeated rounded arch gilt motif. Outer upper edge turned inward, decorated with roped, single sunken border, filled with gilt arabesques. Inner face of rerebrace fitted with U-shaped bracket secure transverse pauldron strap. Lower cannon of rerebrace is restored. Elbow-cop: of five lames, 2 above and 2 below a central lame with side wing that extends well inward to protect the inside of the elbow. This cop is decorated with an embossed and gilt scallop shell at the elbow proper. Outside upper edge of uppermost, and lower edge of lowermost lames have V-shaped nick at mid-lame. This same nick can be found on the interior side of all plates. Decoration of gilt arabesques on lame borders; single sunken gilt arabesque borders on side-wing.
Lower vambrace: of two plates, secured by two hinges (restored) on inner face and single restored strap and buckle on outer face. Decorative simple sunken roped, inward-turned borders at wrist and innner elbow, filled with arabesque foliate pattern as above.
ProvenanceFranz Thill Collection, Vienna (gorget and breastplate, to 1905) S. J. Whawell Frank Gair Macomber, Boston. Helmet: John Long Severance purchase for the Cleveland Museum of Art, exchanged with Bashford Dean (#16) for equestrian armor. Dean acquired the gorget and breastplate from Macomber, having already borrowed and displayed them with the helmet in Metropolitan Museum of Art's 1911 catalogue, #39, pl. XXV). Dean is responsible for the full composed suit, adding his helmet, pauldrons, and Marchat restorations in 1912. Clarence H. Mackay (#A.49-until (?) 1941) Kende Galleries at Gimbel Bros. (1941). Purchased by the Armory on 26 December 1941, from Gimbel Bros./Hammer Galleries (NYC) as suit A-49 of the Mackay estate. Collection transfer from Higgins Armory, January 2014.
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