A RARE NORTH GERMAN EMBOSSED AND ETCHED VAMBRACE FOR THE LEFT ARM, ATTRIBUTED TO THE MASTER SIGNED "AB", CIRCA 1540, PROBABLY BRUNSWICK formed of a large bracelet couter, the central portion drawn-up to a prominent bulbous panel over the point of the elbow, embossed with a pattern of overlapping scales etched with dentil bands, bordered above and below by bands each of three flutes converging sharply towards the inner joint of the elbow , the inner flute etched with a dentil pattern also, the medial flute undecorated and the outer flute etched with a scrolling tendril pattern, the wings bordered over their full lengths by embossed bands of overlapping disc-like scales etched with an alternating pattern of stylised rosettes and suns-in-splendour, with subsidiary border flutes etched with scrolling leafy tendrils, and the edges turned and roped, fitted with tubular upper-cannon, turner carrying two overlapping lames moving on sliding rivets and internal leathers, the turner and its lames each with cusped lower edge, and hinged tubular lower-cannon, its inner lame fitted with a single articulation below the elbow joint and the cuffs decorated en suite with the wings of the couter The embossed and etched decoration belongs in general to a group of field armours, the most well-known of which is the so-called "Giant's armour" in the Royal Armouries, Leeds (II.126), historically said to be that of John of Gaunt; the backplate of this armour is signed by the etcher with the monogrammed initials AB: see Dufty & Reid 1968, pl. XXIV; also see Mann 1932, pp. 27-9pls. 1 and 2. The etched pattern on the present vambrace is derived from the rosette and flame pattern found on the majority of the armours forming this group. In this instance the conventional flames take the form of angular sharp spikes; the strangely spiky half-rosettes are common to the entire etched group. Dr. von Rohr has suggested that the etcher of the Leeds armour may be Bonaventura Abt, a painter working in Brunswick circa 1525-52. Abt worked both in the city and for Prince Heinrich the Younger at Wolfenbuttel. In 1535 Abt is recorded as painting an armour, an obvious possible reference to the process of etching on steel. An armour with a comparable plain embossed pattern is in the Wallace Collection (A33). Another, embossed but also not etched, is in the von Kienbusch Collection in the Philadelphia Museum of Art (cat. No. 9, pl. IX). The catalogue entry gives the provenance as the Princes Radziwell, thence together with other pieces, to Prince Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (a cadet branch of the Hohenlohe-Langenburg line). In addition to the closely related armours identified by Sir James Mann a locking gauntlet from a related armour is in the Frazier History Museum, Louisville, Kentucky (attributed to Augsburg circa 1525).
A RARE NORTH GERMAN EMBOSSED AND ETCHED VAMBRACE FOR THE LEFT ARM, ATTRIBUTED TO THE MASTER SIGNED "AB", CIRCA 1540, PROBABLY BRUNSWICK formed of a large bracelet couter, the central portion drawn-up to a prominent bulbous panel over the point of the elbow, embossed with a pattern of overlapping scales etched with dentil bands, bordered above and below by bands each of three flutes converging sharply towards the inner joint of the elbow , the inner flute etched with a dentil pattern also, the medial flute undecorated and the outer flute etched with a scrolling tendril pattern, the wings bordered over their full lengths by embossed bands of overlapping disc-like scales etched with an alternating pattern of stylised rosettes and suns-in-splendour, with subsidiary border flutes etched with scrolling leafy tendrils, and the edges turned and roped, fitted with tubular upper-cannon, turner carrying two overlapping lames moving on sliding rivets and internal leathers, the turner and its lames each with cusped lower edge, and hinged tubular lower-cannon, its inner lame fitted with a single articulation below the elbow joint and the cuffs decorated en suite with the wings of the couter The embossed and etched decoration belongs in general to a group of field armours, the most well-known of which is the so-called "Giant's armour" in the Royal Armouries, Leeds (II.126), historically said to be that of John of Gaunt; the backplate of this armour is signed by the etcher with the monogrammed initials AB: see Dufty & Reid 1968, pl. XXIV; also see Mann 1932, pp. 27-9pls. 1 and 2. The etched pattern on the present vambrace is derived from the rosette and flame pattern found on the majority of the armours forming this group. In this instance the conventional flames take the form of angular sharp spikes; the strangely spiky half-rosettes are common to the entire etched group. Dr. von Rohr has suggested that the etcher of the Leeds armour may be Bonaventura Abt, a painter working in Brunswick circa 1525-52. Abt worked both in the city and for Prince Heinrich the Younger at Wolfenbuttel. In 1535 Abt is recorded as painting an armour, an obvious possible reference to the process of etching on steel. An armour with a comparable plain embossed pattern is in the Wallace Collection (A33). Another, embossed but also not etched, is in the von Kienbusch Collection in the Philadelphia Museum of Art (cat. No. 9, pl. IX). The catalogue entry gives the provenance as the Princes Radziwell, thence together with other pieces, to Prince Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (a cadet branch of the Hohenlohe-Langenburg line). In addition to the closely related armours identified by Sir James Mann a locking gauntlet from a related armour is in the Frazier History Museum, Louisville, Kentucky (attributed to Augsburg circa 1525).
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
