DOI Heft:
Heft 6
DOI Artikel:Clephan, Robert Coltman: The Wallace Collection of Arms and Armour, [1]
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.37714#0162
146
Zeitschrift für historische Waffenkunde.
III. Band.
The rondaches and other shields (Prunkschilde)
are very important.
There are also many other interesting items;
but a very important feature of the collection is
a case of early helmets; and there are many iso-
lated pieces of enriched armour of great beauty.
Many of the suits bear striking testimony to
their having passed through the hands of the dealer;
a feature usually present in armour gathered to-
gether by many hands, over a comparatively short
space of time; and several of the harnesses are made
up of pieces originally belonging to other suits.
These notes are necessarily perfunctory in cha-
racter, as the space at my disposal in your periodical
is strictly limited; andforthisreason, more especially,
I am compelled to devote most of it to the more
prominent suits of armour; and I have endeavoured
to select for the illustration of each part those
examples which exhibit as much as possible a chro-
nological series of the various styles and periods
covered by the collection in each room. I may
also say that I have been unable to have any of
the suits taken down, or to have any of the objects
in the cases taken out for close examination, which
places me at a considerable disadvantage in the
judgment of details; and especially so in regard
to the discovery of makers’ marks; and the veri-
fication of doubtful points.
The» collection of Oriental arms and armour in
Gallery VIII is rieh in late .»examples of the ar-
mourer’s craft; but it contains many duplicates, and
is far front being in any sense comprehensive.
In Galleries VII, VI and V, devoted to Euro-
pean arms and armour, the more representative suits
stand on the floor; many enriched weapons and
rare pieces of armour are disposed in cases; while
the walls are hung with weapons, and many of the
less distinctive suits of armour. Some of the more
important harnesses in these galleries will be de-
scribed somewhat in detail; but the rare examples
of arms, and other items, are far too numerous
for it to be possible to give more than a mere
outline on these pages.
The numbering of the specimens described is
that given in the official catalogue, following con-
secutively from No. 1 in Gallery VII.
I purpose dividing my rernarks into three parts;
dealing with each of the rooms, devoted to Euro-
pean arms and armour, in turn; beginning with
Gallery VII, because the exhibits are generally of
an earlier period than those in the other rooms.
Gallery VII. Fighting armour, of the seconcl
half of the fifteenth Century is here represented
in No. 10. No. 2 1 (Fig. 2) is a fine example of a harness
made towards the end of the Century, for the form
of jousting called the »German Gestech«; No. 46,
dates from about the end of the Century ; furnish-
ing an example of the clisc or roundel at the back
of the helmet (eine Stielscheibe hinten). Flutecl
armour (geriffelter Maximiliansharnisch) is repre-
sented in No. 56; that of the style towards the
middle of the sixteenth Century in No. 96; and
the series in this room closes with a suit dating
from late in the same Century, in No. 125. There
are many rare swords and staffweapons; besides
other interesting features. The bascinets; salades;
and armets (Beckenhaube, Schallern, geschlossene
Helme) are specially interesting; and lovers of
handguns will find many beautiful seventeenth
Century examples for the hunting field.
Number ioisa »Gothic« harness of German
origin, of the last quarter of the fifteenth Century.
The salade, partly restored, is of the true German
form. The lower edge of the buffe or mentonniere
(Ansteckbart) goes under the breastplate; which
has a nearly straight projecting rim running across
; the top. There is an extra plate on the breastplate;
a line runs down its centre, with radiating flutings;
and a gusseting goes round the armpits. The taces
(Bauchreifen) are in three lames or plates; while
the tassets (Beintaschen), with fanlike flutings from
top to bottom, consist of the same number. The
backplate (Rückenstück) is modern work. The
cuissards (Diechlinge) have two laminated Strips
at the top; while the knee-guards (Kniebuckeln)
are attached to the jambs (Beinröhren) by sliding
rivets. The espaliers (Achseln) are in six lames;
the arm defences (Armzeug) terminating in mitten
gauntlets (Hentzen), with pointed cuffs; one of
which bears the mark of Adrian Treitz of Muhlau,
near Innsbruck; who worked from towards the end
of the fifteenth Century to about 1517. The brass-
ards for the left arm; the jambs; and sollerets
(Schuhen) would appear to be modern work ; and
indeecl the suit, as a whole, exhibits unmistakable
signs of having passed through the dealers hands;
as is the case with so many suits of the period.
Number 21 is a German harness for the
jousting course known in Germany as Das
deutsche Stechen, a form of joust which
probably goes back as far as the fourteenth Cen-
tury. It was run in the open field or lists without
a barrier between the combatants. No leg armour
was worn, and the feet were encased in well wadded
shoes. The horse ran blindfold so that it did not
flinch to one side at the moment of impact, and
so disturb the aim of the rider. A cushion stuffed
with straw covered the ehest. The sacldle was
without cantle (Rücklehne). The lance was tipped
with a coronal; and the shaft, of soft wood, is
usually rather heavier than that for the course
named Scharfrennen: the lance for Welsche
Gestech being made much lighter.2) A vamplate
(Brechschild) retained the lance in position, and
protected the arm. There are several varieties of
Stechen. The jousting shield (Stechtartsche) of
2) If the editor can spare me room I will give some
aecount of other kinds of jousting in Part II.
Zeitschrift für historische Waffenkunde.
III. Band.
The rondaches and other shields (Prunkschilde)
are very important.
There are also many other interesting items;
but a very important feature of the collection is
a case of early helmets; and there are many iso-
lated pieces of enriched armour of great beauty.
Many of the suits bear striking testimony to
their having passed through the hands of the dealer;
a feature usually present in armour gathered to-
gether by many hands, over a comparatively short
space of time; and several of the harnesses are made
up of pieces originally belonging to other suits.
These notes are necessarily perfunctory in cha-
racter, as the space at my disposal in your periodical
is strictly limited; andforthisreason, more especially,
I am compelled to devote most of it to the more
prominent suits of armour; and I have endeavoured
to select for the illustration of each part those
examples which exhibit as much as possible a chro-
nological series of the various styles and periods
covered by the collection in each room. I may
also say that I have been unable to have any of
the suits taken down, or to have any of the objects
in the cases taken out for close examination, which
places me at a considerable disadvantage in the
judgment of details; and especially so in regard
to the discovery of makers’ marks; and the veri-
fication of doubtful points.
The» collection of Oriental arms and armour in
Gallery VIII is rieh in late .»examples of the ar-
mourer’s craft; but it contains many duplicates, and
is far front being in any sense comprehensive.
In Galleries VII, VI and V, devoted to Euro-
pean arms and armour, the more representative suits
stand on the floor; many enriched weapons and
rare pieces of armour are disposed in cases; while
the walls are hung with weapons, and many of the
less distinctive suits of armour. Some of the more
important harnesses in these galleries will be de-
scribed somewhat in detail; but the rare examples
of arms, and other items, are far too numerous
for it to be possible to give more than a mere
outline on these pages.
The numbering of the specimens described is
that given in the official catalogue, following con-
secutively from No. 1 in Gallery VII.
I purpose dividing my rernarks into three parts;
dealing with each of the rooms, devoted to Euro-
pean arms and armour, in turn; beginning with
Gallery VII, because the exhibits are generally of
an earlier period than those in the other rooms.
Gallery VII. Fighting armour, of the seconcl
half of the fifteenth Century is here represented
in No. 10. No. 2 1 (Fig. 2) is a fine example of a harness
made towards the end of the Century, for the form
of jousting called the »German Gestech«; No. 46,
dates from about the end of the Century ; furnish-
ing an example of the clisc or roundel at the back
of the helmet (eine Stielscheibe hinten). Flutecl
armour (geriffelter Maximiliansharnisch) is repre-
sented in No. 56; that of the style towards the
middle of the sixteenth Century in No. 96; and
the series in this room closes with a suit dating
from late in the same Century, in No. 125. There
are many rare swords and staffweapons; besides
other interesting features. The bascinets; salades;
and armets (Beckenhaube, Schallern, geschlossene
Helme) are specially interesting; and lovers of
handguns will find many beautiful seventeenth
Century examples for the hunting field.
Number ioisa »Gothic« harness of German
origin, of the last quarter of the fifteenth Century.
The salade, partly restored, is of the true German
form. The lower edge of the buffe or mentonniere
(Ansteckbart) goes under the breastplate; which
has a nearly straight projecting rim running across
; the top. There is an extra plate on the breastplate;
a line runs down its centre, with radiating flutings;
and a gusseting goes round the armpits. The taces
(Bauchreifen) are in three lames or plates; while
the tassets (Beintaschen), with fanlike flutings from
top to bottom, consist of the same number. The
backplate (Rückenstück) is modern work. The
cuissards (Diechlinge) have two laminated Strips
at the top; while the knee-guards (Kniebuckeln)
are attached to the jambs (Beinröhren) by sliding
rivets. The espaliers (Achseln) are in six lames;
the arm defences (Armzeug) terminating in mitten
gauntlets (Hentzen), with pointed cuffs; one of
which bears the mark of Adrian Treitz of Muhlau,
near Innsbruck; who worked from towards the end
of the fifteenth Century to about 1517. The brass-
ards for the left arm; the jambs; and sollerets
(Schuhen) would appear to be modern work ; and
indeecl the suit, as a whole, exhibits unmistakable
signs of having passed through the dealers hands;
as is the case with so many suits of the period.
Number 21 is a German harness for the
jousting course known in Germany as Das
deutsche Stechen, a form of joust which
probably goes back as far as the fourteenth Cen-
tury. It was run in the open field or lists without
a barrier between the combatants. No leg armour
was worn, and the feet were encased in well wadded
shoes. The horse ran blindfold so that it did not
flinch to one side at the moment of impact, and
so disturb the aim of the rider. A cushion stuffed
with straw covered the ehest. The sacldle was
without cantle (Rücklehne). The lance was tipped
with a coronal; and the shaft, of soft wood, is
usually rather heavier than that for the course
named Scharfrennen: the lance for Welsche
Gestech being made much lighter.2) A vamplate
(Brechschild) retained the lance in position, and
protected the arm. There are several varieties of
Stechen. The jousting shield (Stechtartsche) of
2) If the editor can spare me room I will give some
aecount of other kinds of jousting in Part II.