A COMPOSITE GERMAN 'BLACK AND WHITE' THREE-QUARTER FIELD ARMOUR (HARNASCH), MID- TO LATE 16TH CE

A COMPOSITE GERMAN 'BLACK AND WHITE' THREE-QUARTER FIELD ARMOUR (HARNASCH), MID- TO LATE 16TH CENTURY, THE CUIRASS NORTH GERMAN, PROBABLY BRUNSWICK comprising burgonet formed of a one-piece skull rising to a exceptionally high roped medial comb, projecting forward to an obtusely-pointed peak, pierced around the brow, face-opening and nape with pairs of lace-holes, fitted at the nape with a plume-holder (replaced) and an obtusely-pointed neck-guard of one lame, and at each side with a pair of forward-projecting cheek-pieces (associated), pierced at their centres in each case with five small circular ventilation-holes, and fitted at their front edges with buff leather loops (replaced) to receive a tie, 'almain' collar of three lames front and rear fitted at either side with a pair of integral spaudlers each formed of seven downward-overlapping lames extending downwards to the elbow where it is connected by internal leathers through a shell-like one-piece couter to a tubular lower cannon, besagues (restored) each rising at its centre to a conical boss, breastplate formed of a heavy main plate with a strong medial ridge projecting forward over the belly , its upper border struck with a serial number formed of ten dots, moveable gussets at its arm-openings and a fauld of one lames fitted within its lower edge with a pair of tassets of each of seven lames extending to just above the knees, one-piece backplate strongly shaped to the shoulders, its upper border struck with a serial number formed of five dots, and fitted with a culet of one lame, and mitten gauntlets each formed of a slightly rounded and flared tubular cuff , four metacarpal-plates, a knuckle-plate decorated with a boldly roped transverse rib, five finger-plates and scaled thumb-defence, the main edges of the armour decorated with roped inward turns, its surfaces decorated with bright bands and borders (lightly patinated and worn), variously raised or recessed against a blackened ground (refreshed), the subsidiary edges of the burgonet decorated with scalloped edges