Almain Collar
Dateabout 1580
Mediumpainted steel with modern leather
Dimensions73.7 × 29.2 × 31.8 cm (29 × 11 1/2 × 12 1/2 in.), 5 lb 4 oz (weight)
ClassificationsArms and Armor
MarkingsTerminal lame of fauld has a re-struck, single "antler" mark of Wurttemberg to left of fork on inner face; another antler on lowest (6th ) lame of both tassets; right inside of breast with black-painted letters "VK" (?) ; "V"-shaped nicks and serial dots throughout.
Credit LineThe John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection
Object number2014.1144.2
DescriptionOf the "Almain"-collar form with spaudlers. Not "en suite" with any other components. (For similar forms, cf. to fig. 1, 24 of Fanger; figs. 15, 18, 19, 25 of Ullmann.) Two main plates, front and rear, embossed at the upper edge with the "wave" pattern and a centered heart motif. This is bordered below with a raised, plain white band from which radiates three diverging similar bands, edged with thin incised lines. These plates are pivoted at the left and secured at the right by a keyhole-slot engaging a modern domed-rivet.
The neck defense is of two lames, the lower with incised bands like the lames below. The upper lame is finished with a strong, outwardly turned, inwardly rolled edge with core, and file-marked. This lame also retains eight flattened lining rivets without washers. This lame is hinged at the left, and now riveted closed at the right, but would have secured by means of a hole snapping over a peg. The two neck lames articulate on three internal leathers each front and rear.
The colletin is attached with rivets and a set of articulating leathers to spaudlers of eight lames each, terminating in a lame recurved along its lower edge, decorated "en suite" with the "wave" pattern. The edge is inwardly turned over a wire, and file-roped. Inside at the medial line by the lower edge of these terminals is a flattened stud: this probably once secured couters in the "German fashion," or a leather tab from elbow-gauntlets (cf. fig. 18, Ullmann, for the former). The "wave" decoration of the lower lame is bordered with a raised, incised band, which also follows, full-length, the edges and medial areas of the spaudlers.
The defenses would have been secured to the upper arm by means of transverse straps from the posterior edge of the spaudler terminals engaging buckles on the anterior edge. These fixtures have been replaced with modern restorations.
The collar and spaudlers have been extensively and poorly re-worked. The front plate is associated to the rear, and embossed to match. A number of vacant holes both here and on the spaudlers suggest that the mounts were re-done later. The "L" or "T"-shaped slot at the right front of the foreplate of the collar for the tab of the right spaudler has been rivet-filled. The set of neck lames is associated to the collar as well as one another (the lower seems to have been embossed later to match).
The spaudlers appear to be a pair with the backplate of the collar. They have, however, been poorly re-leathered at some point years ago (possibly by Mr. Offerman with advice received from Mr. Bartel - see files). Of three each once fitted, the anterior leather of the right, and the posterior of the left are lacking, and the individual lames have been riveted together, apparently with old nails, the right anterior edge has been riveted to the front plate of the collar, making it impossible to open (see also mention of the filled tab-hole above); what apparently were holes for arming points to rondels are filled on the first lame (right) and vacant on the second lame (left).
The left spaudler seems to have been partly incorrectly assembled: the uppermost lame should probably be remounted below the lame currently second, and this lame then secured to the collar. Near their anterior and posterior edges, the spauldlers are fitted with shallow, dome-headed non-functional rivets.
Provenance(Possibly) ex-S.J. Whawell Collection, lot 382 (p. 67) 5 May 1927 sale at Sotheby's Theodore Offerman. Purchased by John W. Higgins on 27 September 1927 from Theodore Offerman (of New York Galleries). Given to the Higgins Armory Museum on 15 December 1931. Collection transfer from Higgins Armory, Janaury 2014.
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