A COMPOSITE EUROPEAN FIELD ARMOUR, 16TH CENTURY comprising close helmet formed of a one-piece sk

A COMPOSITE EUROPEAN FIELD ARMOUR, 16TH CENTURY comprising close helmet formed of a one-piece skull rising to a high roped comb (its crest damaged, the lower left corner of the face-opening patched) and fitted at the nape with a plume-holder, earlier visor and bevor attached by common pivots (replaced), the former of rounded 'sparrow's-beak' form having a stepped centrally-divided vision-slit and numerous small circular ventilation-holes at each side (the right edge patched, the beak pierced with two large rust-holes), and two gorget-plates front and rear (the lower front one restored, the lower rear one patched at its left end), early 17th century collar formed of a single deep plate front and rear, breastplate of late 'peascod' form (patched at the left side and centre of waist) with moveable gussets at each arm-opening, fauld of three lames, the lowest cut with a shallow arch over the crotch and bearing a pair of detachable tassets each of nine lames, extending to just above the knees, one-piece backplate shaped to the shoulders and flanged outwards at its lower edge (patch at left of flange) to receive a culet of one lame (patched at either end), small symmetrical pauldrons each of six lames (the top three of the left and the top one of the right patched at their front ends) connected by turners to vambraces (not a pair) each formed of a tubular upper and lower cannon articulated to one another by a winged couter of three lames, the wing of the left one formed as a separate plate, mitten gauntlets (not an exact pair), each formed of a long pointed tubular cuff, five metacarpal-plates, a knuckle-plate with boldly roped transverse rib, and four finger plates (thumb-defences lacking), and a pair of 19th century greaves of tubular construction each articulated four times at the ankle, pierced with an aperture to accommodate a spur and fitted with an integral broad-toed sabaton of seven lames, the main edges of the armour turned inwards and decorated, except on the collar, with file-roping, the collar decorated with incised bands and borders enclosed by volutes, chevrons and punched beads, the breastplate, backplate, pauldrons and upper cannons of the vambraces etched in line with symmetrical sprays of stylised acanthus foliage issuing, in the case of the breastplate, from a grotesque mask at the centre of the neck-opening, the couters, upper cannons of the vambraces, gauntlets and tassets later etched on a blackened ground with quatrefoils framed in part by repeated lozenges and engrailed bands (showing significant pitting and wear with some cracking, bruising, perforation and disarticulation throughout), stand not included Inv. no. A086. The etched decoration of the breastplate, backplate, pauldrons and upper cannons of the vambraces identifies them as part of a series of armours made for the use of the Swiss Papal Guard. Other armours of the series can be recorded in the Museo Civico L. Marzoli, Brescia, Inv. Nos 860, 927-8, 941 & 947, see F. Rossi & N. di Carpegna 1969, Cat. Nos 22-5 & 44, pp. 22-3 & 30); the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, Acc. No. Hen. M.1.2A-c-1933, see I. Eaves 2002, pp. 123-5, ill.; and the Art Institute, Chicago, see W. J. Karcheski, Jr 1995, p. 68, ill. The decoration - originally gilt on a blued ground - has in all cases been applied about 1700 to elements of late 16th and early 17th century North Italian make.