Thomas Del Mar - Arms & Armour

262
A FINE NORTH ITALIAN ETCHED AND GILT LEFT TASSET
FOR FIELD USE, CIRCA 1590-1600, PROBABLY MILANESE
formed of a single plate widening slightly to its lower end
and embossed to simulate ten lames, its lower corners
rounded, its upper edge fitted with three suspensionbuckles
(the hasps replaced), its surface etched in five
vertical bands and in a border accompanying its main
edges with foliate strapwork, trophies-of-arms and fantastic
animals, all gilt on a stippled and blackened ground, and
enclosed in each case by trios of narrower bands of which
the central one is decorated with etched and gilt guilloche,
its main and simulated edges all decorated with file-roped
turns or ribs (one chip and several small cracks in main
edge, four vacant rivet-holes in upper end)
21cm; 8D in high
Inv. no. A202.
Tassets of a very similar design are preserved in the
armoury of the Knights of the Order of St John, Malta, Cat.
118
262
No. 91, as part of an armour made by Pompeo della Chiesa
of Milan for Jean de Valette, Grand Master of the Order
(see S. C. Spiteri 2003, p. 371, fig. A5). A further pair of
tassets of this design, formerly in the same armoury, are
now in the collection of H.M. The Queen, at Sandringham.
Others, bearing the signature of Pompeo, occur as parts of
armours at Wilton House, Wiltshire, made by him for Henry
Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke (see F. H. Cripps-Day 1925, p.
268, fig. 205), and in the Hofjagd- und Rüstkammer, Vienna,
Inv. Nos A 1283 & 1428 (L. G. Boccia & E. T. Coelho 1967,
fig. 348). They also occur, however, on the armours of other
Milanese makers of the late 16th century, as for example,
one in the Art Institute, Chicago, Acc. No. 1982.2194, by the
Master IFP (L. Tarassuk 1986, Cat. Nos 6 & 9, pp. 16-17, fig.
12), and one by the Master of the Triple-Towered Castle,
formerly in the collection of the Earl of Harrington
(Sotheby’s, London, 4 May 1964, lot 174).
£2000-2500