THE FIRST MID-17TH CENTURY; THE SECOND CIRCA 1670-80

Details

A COMPOSITE ENGLISH HARQUEBUSIER ARMOUR; AND A CONTINENTAL CAVALRY SABRE
The first mid-17th Century; the second circa 1670-80
The armour comprising pot helmet with two-piece skull joined by a low-comb, neck-guard of simulated lames, the brow and the neck-guard each pierced for attaching a lining, and pointed peak with three-bar guard (the cheekpieces replaced), breast-plate of shot-proof weight with Commonwealth period Armourers' Company mark ('A', a helmet above), St. George's Cross (acceptance?) mark and armourer's mark of Anthony Newman all struck below the neck, and with an additional large circular mark involving the letters 'A.BB' struck to one side below the middle, and the back-plate struck with armourer's mark of Henry Keene, an additional mark 'TI' and carrying a pair of modern armoured shoulder straps (light pitting throughout): on a torso with theatrical buff leather coat; and the sabre with curved blade double-edged toward the point, retaining traces of etching including a German brief inscription on both sides, and iron hilt of strongly moulded bars including double shell involving a pair of pierced sprung-in plates.
30 7/8in blade (2)

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

For an account of the marks found on this breast-plate and back-plate and for a survey of the recorded surviving examples see Thom Richardson, The London Armourers of the 17th Century, Royal Armouries monograph 7, 2004.

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