Frontier cuirass c. 1720 believed Pueblo Indian in Spanish Style

Jim McDougall · 15th November 2025, 07:57 PM

Once again, to clarify, my efforts here in posting this intriguing leather armor have been to either support the suggested Spanish/Pueblo origin of this most unusual cuirass , or to acknowledge the suggestion that this is in fact Filipino armor, to which little evidence has been forthcoming.

While the most esoteric example noted to have belonged to a former colleague here named Mabadgani, per Jose, is compelling, it seems a most rare form.
As has been discussed, Moro armor is typically of mail, and plates made of various material, including carabou (water buffalo) horn and follows the typical Muslim form (including zirah bakhtar, from Sindh, in India) which opens in front.

While this feature of course is not defining, it is compelling.

If this example is indeed Filipino as suggested, it would appear to be one of the rarest examples seen as per the dearth of such examples known.

The newly revealed fact that this armor was actually acquired at auction in California in 1957, does align with possible provenance from the volumes of souvenir items brought back from the Spanish-American war. However, the evidence considered from previous research regarding possible provenance to Pueblo circumstances in New Mexico as noted remains compelling as well, so as they say....the jury is still out!

15th November 2025, 07:57 PM	#31
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,680	Once again, to clarify, my efforts here in posting this intriguing leather armor have been to either support the suggested Spanish/Pueblo origin of this most unusual cuirass , or to acknowledge the suggestion that this is in fact Filipino armor, to which little evidence has been forthcoming. While the most esoteric example noted to have belonged to a former colleague here named Mabadgani, per Jose, is compelling, it seems a most rare form. As has been discussed, Moro armor is typically of mail, and plates made of various material, including carabou (water buffalo) horn and follows the typical Muslim form (including zirah bakhtar, from Sindh, in India) which opens in front. While this feature of course is not defining, it is compelling. If this example is indeed Filipino as suggested, it would appear to be one of the rarest examples seen as per the dearth of such examples known. The newly revealed fact that this armor was actually acquired at auction in California in 1957, does align with possible provenance from the volumes of souvenir items brought back from the Spanish-American war. However, the evidence considered from previous research regarding possible provenance to Pueblo circumstances in New Mexico as noted remains compelling as well, so as they say....the jury is still out!