Backplate (body armour): HEN.M.13D-1933

Maker(s)

Unknown

Entities

• Backplate (body armour)

Categories

• Armour

Description

Backplate, for field use. Formed of a single plate shaped to the shoulder-blades and the hollow of the back. The broad, shallow neck-opening and the arm-openings have file-roped inward turns accompanied by a recessed border. The border at the neck widens to its centre. The backplate is decorated medially with a single incised line that extends from the border at the neck to the waist. The lower edge of the backplate is flanged outwards to form a short skirt. The edge of the skirt, which is slightly arched at its centre, has a file-roped inward turn accompanied by a recessed border. Attached by a single, brass-capped, round-headed rivet with a square internal washer at each shoulder is a modern, buff-leather shoulder-strap. Located just below the rivet is a hole that may originally have served to secure the shoulder-straps. The hole at the right shoulder is occupied by an externally-flush rivet. Pierced just above each of the rivets that now retain the shoulder-straps is a pair of later, vertically-aligned wiring-holes. Attached by a pair of brass-capped, round-headed rivets with square, internal washers at each side of the waist is a modern, buff-leather strap forming a waist-belt. The left strap terminates in a double-ended, tongued iron buckle, secured by a single, flat-headed rivet. The buckle has oval loops with simple, filed ornament at their centres. Pierced at each of the outer ends of the waist are a pair of later lace-holes. Part of the composite half armour HEN.M.13A-F-1933.

Notes

History note: Mr James Stewart Henderson of 'Abbotsford', Downs Road, St Helen's Park, Hastings, Sussex.

Legal notes

J.S. Henderson Bequest

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1933-03-16) by Henderson, James Stewart

Dating

16th Century
Circa 1560 - 1570

Note

A small section of the left end of the waist has broken away. The centre of the left arm-opening shows a large crack that has been repaired with a riveted internal patch. The metal of the backplate has perforated just to the inside of the patch. The centre of the skirt shows a smaller crack.

North Italian

The backplate is bright with a light patination and fine pitting over most of its surface.