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1303) AN ELEGANT GERMAN COMPOSITE CAP-A-PIE ARMOR PRIMARILY CIRCA 1540: With Nuremberg quality control guild mark (beschau) at the breastplate.

Guilds are trade groups responsible for the quality control of Arms and Armor manufactured in a particular city or region. The beschau is an inspection mark that shows the item has been made to the rigorous standards of the guild. It‚ a seal of approval that has been institutionalized to safeguard the quality of all items made by a particular guild, city, or group. This example is from the City Guild of Nuremberg, Germany.
Discussion: During the first 35 years of the 1500s, fluted armor evolved (what the Victorians named Maximilian armor). The Maximilian fashion was originally an early 1505 Innsbruck reproduction of the contemporary pleating fashion found in close-fitting civilian jackets (doublets). Early breastplates in this fashion were embossed with only a few decorations.
After 1535 a much plainer fashion started evolving. The biggest and most obvious change was the lack of fluting and change in the bulbous shape of the breastplate belly. No fluting means faster and less expensive to make than the Maximilian style. However, some would argue they are equally elegant but in a minimalist form.

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1606) CLOSE HELM FROM THE ARMORY OF THE EARL OF PEMBROKE CIRCA 1550: A closed English helmet like this makes a loud and resounding statement of chivalry, power, class, and elegance.

Introduction: The double bevor close helmet, such as the one under discussion, was developed from c1540 to as late as 1650. Eventually, the one bevor close helmet used in the early parts of the 16th century led to the development of the four-piece double bevor close helmet with both an upper bevor and a lower bevor (bevor proper) like the one under discussion. It still contained a visor and laminated neck plates. Most movable components are held in place by bolt pivots and pivoted hooks.

Discussion: Helmets are the most sought-after armor collectibles. The most sought after helmets by collectors are homogeneous, in other words, as original as the day they were made, and they are becoming very difficult to find.
Why are helmets the most sought-after by collectors?
Here are three reasons.......

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1586) RARE AND IMPORTANT MAXIMILIAN MONKEY FACE HELMET CIRCA 1520: A helmet such as this must have been owned by a very wealthy nobleman.

DISCUSSION: Of all collectible armor, fluted or what the Victorians named Maximilian is arguably the most sought after. Arms and Armor was greatly affected by the spirit of the Renaissance. The Italian Wars (1494-1557), which came after almost two hundred years of peace, were now the proving ground for new military tactics and new battlefield strategies, which reflected changes in Arms and Armor. The Maximilian fashion was originally an early 1505 Innsbruck reproduction of the contemporary pleating fashion found in civilian close-fitting jackets (doublets). Ironically, there is no proof that Emperor Maximilian was responsible for its original design. However, it appears that Maximilian did take an active part in the day to day goings on at his armory. In the Der Weisskunig (The White King), there is an engraving by Burgkmair depicting Maximilian I instructing his armorers at his Innsbruck court. Over the next thirty years, the Maximilian fashion was also adopted by the other armor manufacturing centers of Augsburg, Nuremberg, and Landshut. As the years progressed, so did the number of flutes found in Maximilian armor. By circa 1510, Maximilian armor had achieved complete body fluting (less the greaves).
DESCRIPTION: Formed of a rounded one-piece skull rising to a low, boldly roped medial comb, fitted with a monkey-faced visor, the bevor attached by a pair of low-domed common pivots (possibly replaced), the visor stepped outward beneath its centrally divided vision slit, pierced with seven horizontal rectangular air slits. The bevor flanged outwards at its lower edge to form a short game neck guard at the front and back neck of three lames (replaced), minor chips at its main edges, a short lifting peg, a visor prop with a forkhead, and push-button release for the bevor. Edges decorated en suite with ropeing, visor push-button release.

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1629) EXCEPTIONAL AND ELEGANT SILVER-ENCRUSTED GERMAN SWEPT HILT RAPIER, CIRCA 1590 WITH DOUBLE MAKERS MARK: Museum quality, as elegant as they come and priced to sell today!

Description: Constructed with a Norman hilt 57, with a double-edged blade of flattened hexagonal sections tapering to a point, with a makers mark at its rectangular ricasso, ricasso with boarders, tang with makers mark, pommel a Norman type 32, the hilt encrusted silver and russet background, flowing designs of fruit, foliage, deity, and masks with point inserts at the edges, showing one repair at the knuckle guard (bow), a chevron at the quillon guard. Possibly original silver wire grip with Turk’s heads. Dimensions: Total length approximately 51.3 inches. Blade lenght approximately 44.5 inches.
Comparables: A similar example can be found in:

– See page 259 in my book. I own a nearly identical sword if not I would be keeping this one.

– The Musee de l Armee in Paris (Cat no. 1379).

– The Wallace Collection (Cat no. 621).

-The Earliest Illustration of This Sword Type: Is in a 1588 portrait of John Shirley, currently housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art ( #51.194.2). Also illustrated in a portrait of Luccio Foppa circa 1585 by Giovani Antonio Figino.

Provenance: From a...

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1347) AN ULTRA ELEGANT CURASSIER ARMOR CIRCA 1610: As complete and stunning as the day it was made.

Discussion: The decline of armor had already begun around the middle of the 16th century. Protective defensive armor came to a screeching end circa 1640. Most attribute the decline of armor to the effectiveness of projectile weapons, namely fi****ms, crossbows, and longbows ( there are three other reasons equally important see page 180 in my book). Years of knight training with exceptionally expensive armor and close-quarter weapons could now be defeated by a man-at-arms or even a peasant with little training and an inexpensive weapon. Projectile weapons were now the knight‚ most feared weapon. The crossbow sent shock waves through the knight community; it was a game-changer. To solve this problem, the knightly class turned to the highest authority of its day, the Pope (see page 400 in my book). After 1550, the quality of gunpowder had reached such a high level that it now gave gunsmiths an advantage over the armorer. The armoire’s response was the cuirassier armor.

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1358) A SUPERB AND ELEGANT EARLY ITALIAN RAPIER CIRCA 1560:

Discussion: Under the Norman sword typology, this sword is a Type 46 that was used from 1525 to 1640 ( see pages 262 and 273 in my book). The first record of this type of rapier appears in a painting titled “Madonna In Glory” by Sebastiano Florigerio 1529-30 at S. Giorgio, Udine, Italy. It also appears in a portrait of Pier Luigi Farnese, the Duke of Parma, circa 1540, in the Palace of Naples. Even though this typology of hilt was used for over 120 years, the rapier under discussion can be dated to circa 1560 based on the length of the blade and decorative style. The earliest dated example of this typology is a hilt decorated in the style of Diego de Çaias**, which resides in the Vienna Kunsthistorisches Museum (collection # A2778).

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1359) A MASSIVE WO-HAND KNIGHTS FIGHTING SWORD OF MASSIVE PROPORTIONS CIRCA 1420-1470: Oakeshott Sword family J. By tradition, used as a funerary sword for 200 years at a Whales church.

Description: Constructed with a type XVIIIa blade tapering to a slightly bent point, blade with a medial ridge, ricasso of rectangular shape. Guard type X and pommel a type V fishtail (slightly misaligned) with a medial ridge. Original wooden grip. The blade was originally painted blue. Of solid construction.

Length: 55 inches.

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https://antiquearmor.com/item/book-2/

Collector’s Course on Medieval Arms and Armor - Antique Armor The Collector's Course On Medieval Arms and Armor A 432 Page How To Step-By-Step Program for the Beginner to Advanced Master Collector First Time Revealed... Hundreds of years of deeply hidden secrets... discoveries... and little known knowledge that in the past were only known to a few privileged m...

https://antiquearmor.com/item/1240helmet/

1240helmet - Antique Armor 1240) AN ELEGANT CLOSE HELM WITH DOUBLE BEVOR CIRCA 1580: A close helm is the single most desirable piece of armor. Many collectors do not have a full suit of armor in their collection. Instead, most collections are composed of individual armor parts. The two most sought-after are helmets and breast...

https://antiquearmor.com/item/1235breastplate/

1235breastplate - Antique Armor 1235) IMPORTANT NUREMBERG BREASTPLATE CIRCA 1550 WITH KNEELING KNIGHT AT CALVARY DECORATION AND ORIGINAL SKIRT: A well provenance piece in superb condition from the Franz Joseph Wirtz collection sold March 29th through August 2, 1897 by Lempertz in Cologne Germany lot # 702. It sold again about 18 y...

https://antiquearmor.com/item/1234rapier/

1234rapier - Antique Armor 1234) DECORATED SWEPT HILT RAPIER CIRCA 1610: Probably French, possibly Italian. Discussion: In a day and age lacking appropriate policing, the private citizen was forced to protect himself from society’s criminal dregs. From the middle of the 16th to the end of the 17th-century, the weapon of cho...

https://antiquearmor.com/item/1232broadsword/

1232broadsword - Antique Armor 1232) A MAXIMILIAN PERIOD BOAR SWORD CIRCA 1520 OF EXCEPTIONAL CONSTRUCTION: A magnificent museum-quality German boar sword. The boar sword was designed for hunting boar. Its distinctive spear tip is equipped with a slit to put a traversing stop bar so the charging boar is stopped in its track witho...

https://antiquearmor.com/item/1231nasal/

1231nasal - Antique Armor 1231) AN EXCEPTIONAL & RARE DECORATED VIKING PERIOD NASAL: A type Nikolskoie,( 1150–1250 AD) under the Kirpichnikov typology. An iconic helmet highly sought out by collectors. DESCRIPTION: Constructed with a slightly pointed crown with extending finial at the apex, nasal attached to a rounded crow...

https://antiquearmor.com/item/1230viking/

1230viking - Antique Armor 1230) A SUPERB AND RARE GILDED VIKING PERIOD SWORD WITH PATTERN WELDED FULLER: A type VIII under the Wheeler typology and a type X under the Oakeshott typology. Contact me for additional information. Contact Me To Get The Latest Lowest Price Possible From The Owner*

https://antiquearmor.com/item/1190bsword/

1229bsword - Antique Armor 1229) IMPORTANT AND ELEGANT BASTARD SWORD CIRCA 1560: Probably German/Austrian or Swiss. One of the typologies of sword most sought out by collectors. Construction: The hilt is constructed with checkered decoration en suite with a black background, recurving quillons with swelling tips, ring guards,...

https://antiquearmor.com/item/401padlock/

401padlock - Antique Armor 401) VERY LARGE AND HEAVY POST MEDIEVAL PADLOCK: Works as well as the day it was made. Good working condition for such as old padlock. Original key. A few nicks and dings as you would imagine for such an old item that was probably used for over 100 years. Small back plate missing at the

https://antiquearmor.com/item/126viser/

126viser - Antique Armor 126) Exceptionally Well Etched German Visor From A Burgonet Circa 1570-1580 belonging to a high ranking Knight Or Member of Royalty. Attributed To Leonhard Meurl of Innsbruck. Most likely taken as war b***y by Napoleons troops from the Imperial armory in Vienna. Contact Me To Get The Latest Lowest P...

https://antiquearmor.com/item/1238sword/

1238sword - Antique Armor 1238) A FINE DECORATED MEDIEVAL SWORD CIRCA 1000–1200: Classified under the Oakeshott Typology as a Xa. Discussion: The Oakeshott Type X blade is, for all intents and purposes, a continuation of the Western Viking type of blade. Type X first came into use in the 9th and 10th centuries and was regu...

https://antiquearmor.com/item/1236bsword/

1236bsword - Antique Armor 1236) SUPERB BASTARD SWORD CIRCA 1550 WITH ORIGINAL GRIP: Probably German or Austrian. Construction: The hilt is constructed with circular quillon tips, quillon rings decorated en suite, cylindrical pommel, a straight two-sided blade with a slight taper at the tip, original or working life leather g...