Pikeman's Breastplate

Datenot later than the 1630s

Mediumsteel and leather

Dimensions44 × 43 × 19 cm (17 5/16 × 16 15/16 × 7 1/2 in.), 8 lb 1 oz (weight with tassets)

ClassificationsArms and Armor

MarkingsBreastplate has pair of nicks on right side, bend of flange and on top edge of each tasset, near medial region; what may be traces of two stamped letters at neck exterior (see photo in digital file).

Credit LineThe John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection

Terms

Object number2014.1167.2

DescriptionSingle piece reaching to hips, slightly rounded on the upper half of chest near neck, this with sharp medial ridge. Pivot-hooks & posts for backplate straps. Terminates in a vestigial point below the waist-line. Riveted 1-piece trapezoidal tassets with squarish corners, curving slightly to body, embossed to resemble 7 lames. While tassets appear to match, there are noticable differences in hasps.

Breastplate is of one-piece reaching just to the hips. It is slightly rounded on the upper half of the chest near the neck and shoulders, and extends down vertically in a sharp medial ridge. This terminates in a vestigial point below the waist-line, where the breast is drawn out as a deep, rounded flange which curves up and over the sides of the hips. The shoulder terminals are squared, and the neck opening roundedly depressed. The openings for the arms curve deeply forward and down to the straight side edges. The neck and arm openings are turned as above, and bordered with a single, incised thin line.

Near the shoulders, the breastplate is fitted with a set of pierced lugs and pivot-hooks for the shoulder straps on the backplate. The side edges of the flange have a turned edge like those at the neck and arms, and are themselves bordered by a plain, broad shallow-recessed band which also extends around the side and basal edges of the hinged tassets.

A pair of disused holes flank the middle bottom on the flange, possibly a post-working-life modification.

The one-piece tassets are of trapezoidal form with squarish corners below, curving slightly to the body, and embossed to resemble seven lames, with a single incised line bordering the top "edge" of each. Extending down the center and either side of each is a decorative row of domed iron rivets terminating in triangular groups of three each. The tassets overlap left to right, with the upper inner corner of the right tasset slightly flattened for its neighbor.

While the tassets match, and appear to belong to the breastplate in spite of a less-than-perfect fit, there are noticeable differences in the hasps. These are generally similar with lobed ends riveted to the flange, and pointed or slightly cusped ends below. Numbers one and four (viewed L-R from the front) match, but two and three match neither themselves nor the others. Number two seems to have been a detachable type with an oblong slot for a pierced lug, visible under its rivet. This and number three are secured below to oblong slots cut into the tassets, and secured with large, circular bronze washers. The other rivets are simply peened- or hammered over. These old rivets all seem to be working-life additions.
ProvenanceEarl of Eglinton (Ayrshire, Scotland) Cyril Andrade (London) probably his no. 16 Theodore Offerman of York Galleries, NYC Purchased by John W. Higgins from Theodore Offerman (York Galleries, NYC) on 27 September 1927. Given to the Armory on 15 December 1931. Collection transfer from Higgins Armory, January 2014.

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