CIRCA 1445

Details

A Rare North Italian Upper Back-Plate
Circa 1445
Of flattened form, cut off straight at the bottom, with neck- and armholes bordered by narrow turns, constructed of four horizontal plates overlapping upwards and articulated on rivets, the central pair narrower than the others, the upper edges of all but the top one curving up to low central points, and pierced with rivet holes for the attachment of the missing lower back-plate and skirt, including one (plugged) for a central strap and buckle, the surface rust-pitted throughout (the bottom plate holed and repaired)
13¾in. (39.9cm.) high

Provenance

Found in 1969 in a tea-chest full of armour oddments at Taymouth Castle, Perthshire, seat of the Earls of Breadalbane, once the home of a famous collection of arms and armour. This was dispersed in 1885 and 1917, when the back-plate and other pieces must have been overlooked. Purchased from Peter Dale who had bought it at Christie's sale of 3 November 1970, lot 47 (120 gns.)

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

This is a rare example of an early form of Italian 15th-century back-plate, with lames with very shallow cusps on the upper edges. Other examples are on armours at Churburg (inv. nos. 19, 21), in the Hofjagd- und Rüstkammer, Vienna (inv. no. A2), and the Glasgow Art Gallery and Museum, Kelvingrove (Scott Collection, formerly Churburg inv. no. 20)

See Gamber 1955, pp. 78-79, nos. 3 and 4

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