Current Location: In storage
Maker(s)
Production:
Unknown
(Possibly)
Entities
Categories
Description
A pair of gauntlets, for use by a cuirassier. The gauntlets are each formed of a moderately short, flared cuff, a wrist-plate, five metacarpal-plates, a knuckle-plate, a finger-plate, four-scaled finger-defences and a scaled thumb-defence. The cuff is of tubular form with an overlapped and riveted join at the inside of the wrist where its lower edge is markedly cut away in a concave curve. The upper edge of the cuff, which has a plain inward turn bordered by lining-rivets, rises to an obtuse point at the outside of the arm where it is medially-ridged. The lower edge of the cuff overlaps a wrist-plate which is itself overlapped by a series of five upward-overlapping metacarpal-plates. The fifth metacarpal-plate, which is longer than the rest, is overlapped at its lower edge by a knuckle-plate that in turn overlaps a short finger-plate. The last metacarpal-plate, the knuckle-plate and the finger-plate are all shaped between the knuckles and fingers. The cuff, the wrist-plate, the metacarpal-plate, the knuckle-plate and the finger-plate are all connected to one another at their outer ends by modern rivets. Riveted within the finger-plate are four finger-defences formed of between three to six downward overlapping scales secured by rivets to an underlying leather strip. The final scale of each defence has a rounded, terminal and is decorated with a single incised line representing the top of a fingernail. Attached by a broad leather hinge to the sides of the metacarpal-plates is a thumb-defence formed of seven scales that overlap outwards from the fourth and are secured by rivets to an underlying strip. The upper four scales are medially ridged. The lowest scale matches the lowest scale of the finger-defences. A later buff-leather lining glove is riveted within the edges of the gauntlet and sewn to the underlying leather strips of the finger and thumb-defences. Part of the composite three-quarter armour HEN.M.17A-G-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
17th Century#
Circa
1620
CE
-
1630
CE
Note
The armour is bright with a variable light to medium patination overall. It has suffered some dents, buckles and cracks.
Components of the work
Lining Glove
composed of
leather
( modern)
Underlying Strip
composed of
leather
Right Gauntlet
Depth 13.5 cm
Height 32.8 cm
Weight 0.52 kg
Width 14.5 cm
Left Gauntlet
Depth 14.4 cm
Height 32.5 cm
Weight 0.52 kg
Width 14.3 cm
Cuff, Upper Edge
Decoration
Parts
Thumb-defence
Upper Four Scales
Materials used in production
Steel
Techniques used in production
Hammering
: The gauntlets are each formed of a moderately short, flared cuff, a wrist-plate, five metacarpal-plates, a knuckle-plate, a finger-plate, four-scaled finger-defences and a scaled thumb-defence; hammered, shaped, riveted, hinged with raised, incised, etched and file-roped decoration
Patinating
Forming
Identification numbers
Accession number: HEN.M.17G-1933
Primary reference Number: 18000
Stable URI
Audit data
Created: Saturday 6 August 2011
Updated: Thursday 6 February 2020
Last processed: Thursday 7 December 2023
Associated departments & institutions
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Applied Arts
