Early Breast plate – query is this an armourers mark
 

Hi Guys

Armour is far from my area of expertise, however we picked up this early breast plate at auction recently and I am trying to decide if it has an armorers mark or not.

The Breast Plate has roped decoration to neck and arm areas; and is of the pea’scod form; decorated with faint engraved lines; brass studs to skirt with areas of fine pitting & soft light brown patina; good cond. Circa late 16th. On the left shoulder there is what appears to be a punched mark, looks a bit like a bird. I am beginning to think that this one may be Italian? and I would be grateful to hear from anyone who is more familiar with armour than ether Rex nor I.

Cheers Cathey and Rex

Cathy, your attributation of late 16th century is probably correct as roping as a decorative motif for rolled and counter sunk borders tappers off pretty quickly in the 17th century and this example has nice closely set ropping on its borders. An earlier 17th century attributation is also possible as the use of a pattern of decorative rivets became a common practice in the 17th century ( often by mid century it was the only decorative element ). The stamped/punched mark at this late date is more likely to be a municipal armoury or city control mark than a makers mark. While a nicer example of it this breast plate is still of munitions manufacture ( which increasingly was all that was being produced to accommodate the growing protonationional professional armies of the early modern military era ) for " issue " to an officer of troops rather than a high end custom piece for a member of the nobility. This is a nice score, it appears to be in great shape!

Ant thought as to country of origin
 

Hi Senefelder

Thanks for your response to my post, and you have confirmed my earlier thoughts. However, do you have a view as to country of Origin, I am leaning towards Italian simply from other examples I have seen.

Cheers Cathey and Rex

Nothing that would definitely nail it down. The Italians did somtimes do roping ( the small chisel cut angled lines on the rolled and counter sunk borders ) in a tighter set like this but the radiating pairs of rayed lines from the waist to the arm and neck opening and same paired lines around said openings for decoration can be found around the continent in the late 16th and earlier 17th century.