Awaiting location update
Maker(s)
Armourer:
Schneider, Martin
Entities
Categories
Description
A pair of elbow gauntlets, for light field use. Each formed of an elbow-length, slightly flared, tubular cuff, three downward-overlapping wrist-plates, five upward-overlapping metacarpal-plates, a knuckle-plate, four scaled finger-defences, and a hinged, scaled thumb-defence. The cuff, which is strongly shaped to the point of the elbow, is formed of a medially-ridged outer plate and a considerably shorter inner plate. The latter is riveted within the former. The upper edge of the cuff has a plain inward turn accompanied by a recessed border. The knuckle-plate and the lower edge of the fifth metacarpal-plate are each shaped to the knuckles. The cuff, the wrist-plates, the metacarpal-plates and the knuckle-plate are connected to one another by rivets at their outer ends. The finger defences are each formed of between four and five medially-ridged, upward-overlapping scales, of which the last has a rounded end and is incised with a line representing the base of a fingernail. Attached by broad leather hinge to the front end of the metacarpal-plates and the third wrist-plate is a scaled thumb-defence of nine upward-overlapping scales.
The thumb-defence is of lozenge-shape, reaching its widest point at the top of its sixth lame, but otherwise matches the finger-scales. The outer plate of the cuff is decorated medially with a band of incised chevrons enclosed by a pair of incised lines, and in its upper band with a series of diagonal incised lines. The secondary edges of the gauntlet are bordered by pairs of incised lines. The gauntlets retain their original buff-leather lining-gloves, and are fitted at the lower ends of their cuffs with modern straps and buckles that fasten across the insides of the wrist. Part of the composite half armour HEN.M.16A-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
Place(s) associated
Acquisition and important dates
Method of acquisition: Bequeathed
(1933-03-16)
by
Henderson, James Stewart
Dating
17th Century, Early#
Circa
1600
CE
-
1610
CE
Note
The gauntlets are bright with a medium patination overall. Their incised decoration is now much worn. It may originally have been cut through with a blued finish.
Components of the work
Lining-gloves
composed of
leather
( original)
Hinge
composed of
leather
Left Gauntlet
Depth 14.4 cm
Height 50.7 cm
Weight 1.04 kg
Width 14.0 cm
Right Gauntlet
Depth 14.5 cm
Height 50.5 cm
Weight 1.11 kg
Width 13.7 cm
Border
Cuff Outer Plate
Decoration
Parts
Scales
Thumb-defence
Materials used in production
Steel
Techniques used in production
Hammering
: Each formed of an elbow-length, slightly flared, tubular, medially-ridged cuff with a recessed border, three downward-overlapping wrist-plates, five upward-overlapping metacarpal-plates, a knuckle-plate, four scaled, medially-ridged finger-defences, and a hinged, scaled thumb-defence; hammered, shaped, riveted, decorated with incised lines and chevrons
Patinating
Forming
Inscription or legends present
Inscription present: quality control mark of the City of Nuremberg, and the maker's mark of Martin Schneider, the initials MS over a pair of shears within an escutcheon
- Text: MS
- Method of creation: Struck
- Type: Mark
Identification numbers
Accession number: HEN.M.16F-1933
Primary reference Number: 17985
Stable URI
Audit data
Created: Saturday 6 August 2011
Updated: Tuesday 28 February 2017
Last processed: Thursday 7 December 2023
Associated departments & institutions
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Applied Arts
