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decoration. The cheek pieces replaced, a small
repair on the rear point of the brim, two holes
on the front edge of the comb. The gorget ope-
ning on a hinge (small repairs in places), the
neck guard with a prominent turned and roped
flange.
Complete arm defences, the large pauldrons
sliding on six lames (a repair on the right
shoulder), the closed cannons with closed cou-
ters sliding on three lames. The slightly diffe-
rent gauntlets with ridged cuffs, the metacarpi
sliding on four lames. The attached thumb pla-
tes opening on a hinge (not original), the finger
scales are missing.
The high-grade, ridged breastplate with a
peascod belly, the gussets moving on sliding
rivets (the right one a good replacement). The
pronounced turned flanges struck inwards. Fi-
nely etched trophy decoration, the breastplate
with a depiction of Mars in the centre, above
which a cartouche featuring a twin-towered
city gate. Unassociated fauld, the attached
tassets sliding on five lames (one lame with an
incomplete edge). Includes a shortened pair of
cuisses sliding on four lames, with three-lame
poleyns (repairs in places, one lame replaced).
Decorative suit of armour assembled from
old parts, the leather lining renewed in places.
Height approx. 174 cm.
The etched city gate and the tower on the top
of the breastplate are the signature of a presti-
gious Milanese armourer’s workshop, known
today by the name of “Master of the Castle”,
which received commissions from numerous
royal houses in Europe; the quality of the work
was comparable with the famous “Pompeo
della Chiesa” workshop. Probably the most
well-known armour produced by the “Master
of the Castle” is the suit of armour belonging to
Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau, Prince Bishop of
Salzburg, parts of which are in the Bayerische
Nationalmuseum and the Wallace Collection.
Other suits of armour from this workshop can
be found in the collection of the State Hermita-
ge Museum in St. Petersburg, the Armeria Re-
ale in Turin, the Real Armeria in Madrid and
the Musée de l’Armée in Paris.
P
rovenance
:
Victor Bacherau Collection,
Paris. Collection of Dr. Bashford Dean, Ri-
verdale, New York. Acquired from the Ameri-
can Art Association in 1927. Thomas del Mar
Auction, May 2014, lot no. 138.
242896
II - III
€ 18.000
4718