(Includes historic 19th century mannequin)

c.1610

Attributed to French workshop

An early seventeenth century cuirassier half armour of fine workmanship and elegance most probably made in a French workshop. Its style indicates the ownership of a high official Knight of the Order of St. John with possible French connections. The armour was intended to be worn for battle on horseback but could have been use during peacetime for official parades. Its shape and decoration give a sense of monumentality and sturdiness while at the same time, its sinuous gilt-line decoration and bare simplicity gives a sense of elegance and assertiveness. Such an armour would have been the equivalent of the noble Samurai clad in his armour while riding on horseback. 

The cuirassier’s armour close helmet is decorated with a gilt fleur-de-lys on either side. The helmet was standard for heavy cavalry which was in use until the end of the 17th century.  The whole suit is decorated with a blued surface and highlighted with fire-gilt bands. The base of the breastplate and backplate are extended by a wide flange used as a fauld to which are attached, in the French style, wide fastenings that hold up the large cuisses by means of butterfly nuts. Unfortunately, over time, the armour has lost its left gauntlet as well as the finger protection of the right one. 

The shape of armour, particularly the form of the breastplate, generally followed the fashion criteria in vogue at the time found in civilian clothing. This evolved into a ‘high waist’ shirt or corset that was adopted in Western Europe around 1630. This indicates that this armour was definitely manufactured before this date, around the first decade of the 17th century.

Military Swept-Hilt Guard Rapier

Mid-16th century

Solingen/Passau Workshop, Germany

A swept-hit rapier with a long wide blade of shallow oval section. A fuller groove is on either side. On one side of the blade is an engraved mark inlayed with copper wire showing a running wolf symbol of the German sword manufacturing centres of Solingen and Passau.

In the 15th and 16th centuries, Passau was one of the most important centres to produce sword and bladed weapons in Germany. Passau swordsmiths marked their blades with the Passau running wolf which was derived from the wolf on the city's coat-of-arms. Superstitious soldiers believed that the Passau wolf gave its bearer invulnerability against harm and so Passau blades were well sought after by warriors and the nobility.

Later on, other cities with a smithing tradition such as Solingen adopted the Passau running wolf as their mark for selling better their products. Ironically, by the 17th century, Solingen was producing more wolf-stamped blades than Passau.