6th August 2023, 02:17 PM | #1 |
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Curious cuirass
I have here the breastplate of a Bavarian or Prussian cuirass M1842 or 1845 I believe. Nothing special, I see them often. However, this one has something strange, the right shoulder piece is considerably narrower than the one for the left shoulder. This is certainly not standard, it has been adjusted afterwards. You can still see where they hammered the edge into shape and even a stress crack. The only reason I can think of for this is that the user was right-handed and found it helpful if he had a little more room to swing his weapon. Has anyone ever seen anything like this with standard cuirasses?
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7th August 2023, 08:56 AM | #2 |
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The ding in the centre musta been a bit uncomfortable.
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7th August 2023, 01:55 PM | #3 | |
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On the other hand, that indentation in the center of the chest could be someone's later invention. Besides being so 'precisely' located, i wonder whether this shot test was still a procedure by the 19th. century. |
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7th August 2023, 04:30 PM | #4 | |
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yes it was. I don't understand the point of it either, but the "German" cuirasses seem to have it all. More or less in the same place. |
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7th August 2023, 07:57 PM | #5 |
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Same with the Swedish ones. Mine is end 17thC-beginning/18thC Carolingean era cavalry breast plate. Maybe the Swedes and the Germans took the term “bullet proof” just literally. In Sweden this was an official requirement to demonstrate the effectiveness of the kit. On the inside it’s marked with a crown and weight. There’s a small smith’s mark in the centre just below the collar. It’s very heavy at around 7kg.
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8th August 2023, 02:55 PM | #6 | |
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8th August 2023, 03:59 PM | #7 |
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Yes, a rather impressive example indeed. Vitrix, allow me to repost your picture in the upright position. Amazing how i was more used to see these shot strikes looking so deepening, and in your example its outline looks so shallow and circumscript, so to say ... even with inscriptions inserted. New to me, but no wonder; my experience with these is so scarce.
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8th August 2023, 07:41 PM | #8 | |
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8th August 2023, 07:45 PM | #9 |
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8th August 2023, 07:52 PM | #10 |
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8th August 2023, 08:48 PM | #11 |
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9th August 2023, 01:12 PM | #12 | |
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. Last edited by fernando; 9th August 2023 at 01:19 PM. Reason: Spell |
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12th August 2023, 08:36 PM | #13 |
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Gentlemen, don't tie me to the whipping post. I just saw an oil painting by Paul Beckert (1890) of Kaiser Willem II wearing a breast plate... posing for the artist; his left hand resting on his waist.
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16th August 2023, 12:22 PM | #14 |
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Yes,Fernando .This cuirass is much more elegant than the ones of the common soldiers.It's the uniform of the Garde du Corps,the first and finest cuirassier regiment in Prussia at this time.Look at the eagle helmet.
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16th September 2023, 03:34 PM | #15 | |
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Back in the day these soldiers formed the king’s closest body guard in battle. They were all hand-picked officers with outstanding battle merits who served as privates in the unit. Although cavalry, they are dismounted when on ceremonial duty and characteristically stamp their heavy cavalry boots in unison when they march which causes quite a noise. |
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16th September 2023, 04:07 PM | #16 | |
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Best wishes Richard |
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