IDENTIFIERS ----------- id: 17751 accession number: HEN.M.7B-1933 DATE AUDIT ---------- created: Saturday 6 August 2011 updated: Thursday 7 January 2016 DESCRIPTIVE DATA ---------------- object type: Backplate, for field use, with etched decoration. Formed of a single plate slightly shaped to the shoulders. The broad, concave neck-opening and the arm-openings have file-roped, inward turns. Attached at each shoulder by a modern, brass-capped, round-headed rivet is a modern, single-ended, tongued, iron buckle with an oval loop and a plain hasp with cropped corners. The left rivet lacks its brass cap. Attached at each side of the waist by a pair of modern, brass-capped, round-headed rivets with circular internal washers is a modern leather strap forming a waist-belt. The left strap terminates in a modern, single-ended, tongued, iron buckle with a rectangular loop. The lower edge of the backplate is flanged outwards. The edge of the flange has a broad, shallow cut-out at its centre, and a plain inward turn. Each end of the flange is pierced with a later wiring-hole. The backplate is decorated at the neck and arm-openings with etched borders. The border at the neck is now almost entirely worn away, except at its outer ends. It has a V-shaped form, interrupted at its centre by a pair of circular medallions, probably etched with a classical bust, now almost entirely worn away. The medallions are flanked by a pair of adorsed winged herms with scrolling tails, now much worn. The border at the arm-openings consists of a narrow band of stylised acanthus foliage on a blackened ground. The borders at both the neck and arm-openings are enclosed by three narrow bands of which the central one is etched with cabling and the outer ones remain plain. The remainder of the backplate is decorated with seven bands of etched ornament on a blackened ground that diverge upwards and outwards from the waist to the neck and arm-openings. The ornament consists of interlacing strapwork involving oval cartouches enclosing standing figures. Each band is enclosed to either side by three narrow bands of which the central one is etched with guilloche and the outer ones remain plain. The waist-flange is etched with a series of lobes. Part of the portion of half armour HEN.M.7A-C-1933 title: backplate (body armour) NOTES ----- type: history note value: Mr James Stewart Henderson of 'Abbotsford', Downs Road, St Helen's Park, Hastings, Sussex LICENSING --------- text license status: CC0 image license status: CC-BY-NC-SA OWNERSHIP --------- instutition: The Fitzwilliam Museum department: Applied Arts collection: J.S. Henderson creditline: J.S. Henderson Bequest STABLE URL ---------- url: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/17751 PEOPLE ------------------- winged herms SUBJECTS ------------------- busts acanthus busts acanthus TECHNIQUES ---------- formed of a single plate slightly shaped to the shoulders; hammered, shaped, riveted, with etched decoration hammering TECHNIQUES ---------- patinating TECHNIQUES ---------- forming CATEGORIES ------ category: armour DATING ------ creation date: 1580 - 1580 creation date earliest: 1580 creation date latest: 1580 culture: 16th Century CREATORS -------- maker: Unknown DIMENSIONS ---------- dimension: Depth units: cm value: 15.0 dimension: Height units: cm value: 35.4 dimension: Weight units: kg value: 1.44 dimension: Width units: cm value: 34.4