Thomas Del Mar - Arms & Armour

284
A COMPOSITE GERMAN THREE-QUARTER FIELD
ARMOUR, SECOND HALF OF THE 16TH CENTURY, THE
BREASTPLATE STRUCK WITH THE MARK OF PAUL
MEITINGER OF INNSBRUCK
comprising burgonet formed of a one-piece skull rising to a
high roped medial comb, projecting forward to a short
obtusely-pointed peak struck at its front edge with the
ownership mark of the Austrian Landesfürstliches
Zeughaus, fitted at its rear with an obtusely-pointed onepiece
neck-guard (right articulating rivet loose), and at each
side with a hinged cheek-piece (distal end of hinge
replaced) flanged outwards at its lower edge to serve as a
continuation of the neck-guard, pierced at its centre with
seven small circular ventilation-holes arranged in rosette
formation and fitted at its front edge with a buff leather
loop (replaced) to receive a tie, ‘almain’ collar of three
lames front and rear, the lowest front one struck with the
same ownership mark as the burgonet, giving issue at
either side to an integral spaudler of six downwardoverlapping
lames, breastplate of late ‘peascod’ form struck
at the centre of its shallow neck-opening with the maker’s
initials P M (the first initial partly worn) of Paul Meitinger of
Innsbruck and fitted at its arm-openings with moveable
gussets, and at its outward-flanged lower edge with a fauld
of two lames, the lowest cut with a shallow arch over the
crotch and bearing a pair of detachable tassets (not a pair)
each of seven lames, extending to just above the knees,
one-piece backplate shaped to the shoulders and flanged
outwards at its lower edge to receive a culet of one lame,
vambraces (not a pair) each formed of a tubular upper and
lower cannon (the inner plate of the right lower cannon
corroded at its front edge) articulated to one another by a
winged couter of three lames, the main edges of the
armour decorated with roped inward turns, those of the
vambraces accompanied by recessed borders on a ground
originally black from the hammer (some pitting and wear
overall), stand not included
Paul Meitinger, is recorded active in Innsbruck in the period
1544-80. In 1554-8 he was employed by the Imperial
Zeughaus to make infantry armours. Further contracts were
obtained by him in 1562-5, 1573 and 1576. He also made
armours for the Jesuits of Halle in 1580. Further
breastplates and backplates bearing his mark are to be
found in the Hofjagd- und Rüstkammer, Vienna, Inv.Nos A
403 & 407, the collections of Schloss Ambrass, near
Innsbruck, Inv. Nos WA 223 & 331, and the Museo Stibbert,
Florence, Inv. No. 2367. See B. Thomas & O. Gamber 1954,
pp. 87 & 105, pl. 83).
£12000-15000
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