A COMPOSITE GERMAN THREE-QUARTER FIELD ARMOUR, MID- TO LATE 16TH CENTURY, THE BREASTPLATE STRUCK

A COMPOSITE GERMAN THREE-QUARTER FIELD ARMOUR, MID- TO LATE 16TH CENTURY, THE BREASTPLATE STRUCK WITH THE MARK OF PAUL MEITINGER OF INNSBRUCK comprising burgonet formed of a one-piece skull rising to a high roped medial comb, projecting forward to a short obtusely-pointed peak struck at its front edge with the ownership mark of the Austrian Landesfürstliches Zeughaus, fitted at its rear with an obtusely-pointed one-piece neck-guard (right articulating rivet loose), and at each side with a hinged cheek-piece (distal end of hinge replaced) flanged outwards at its lower edge to serve as a continuation of the neck-guard, pierced at its centre with seven small circular ventilation-holes arranged in rosette formation and fitted at its front edge with a buff leather loop (replaced) to receive a tie, 'almain' collar of three lames front and rear, the lowest front one struck with the same ownership mark as the burgonet, giving issue at either side to an integral spaudler of six downward-overlapping lames, breast late of late 'peascod' form struck at the centre of its shallow neck-opening with the maker's initials P M (the first initial partly worn) of Paul Meitinger of Innsbruck and fitted at its arm-openings with moveable gussets, and at its outward-flanged lower edge with a fauld of two lames, the lowest cut with a shallow arch over the crotch and bearing a pair of detachable tassets (not a pair) each of seven lames, extending to just above the knees, one-piece backplate shaped to the shoulders and flanged outwards at its lower edge to receive a culet of one lame, vambraces (not a pair) each formed of a tubular upper and lower cannon (the inner plate of the right lower cannon corroded at its front edge) articulated to one another by a winged couter of three lames, the main edges of the armour decorated with roped inward turns, those of the vambraces accompanied by recessed borders on a ground originally black from the hammer (the armour showing some pitting and wear overall), stand not included The records show Pa l Meitinger, the maker of the breastplate, to have been active in Innsbruck in the period 1544-80. In 1554-8 he was employed by the Imperial Zeughaus to make infantry armours. Further contracts were obtained by him in 1562-5, 1573 and 1576. He also made armours for the Jesuits of Halle in 1580. Further breastplates and backplates bearing his mark are to be found in the Hofjagd- und Rüstkammer, Vienna, Inv.Nos A 403 & 407, the collections of Schloss Ambrass, near Innsbruck, Inv. Nos WA 223 & 331, and the Museo Stibbert, Florence, Inv. No. 2367. See B. Thomas & O. Gamber 1954, pp. 87 & 105, pl. 83).