Gauntlet for the left hand 1520-1540
One piece cuff flaring from the wrist. Outer edge with an inward-turned, roped roll with a parallel recessed band. Central crease in the cuff. The main plate extends to cover half of the back of the hand and over the base of the thumb. The remainder of the back of the hand covered by 2 plates. The back of hand creased at the corners and at the center of the base of the thumb. Fingers covered by four plates, joined to the back of hand by a knuckle rider. The front of the knuckle rider and the fingers with fluted creases over the fingers. The end of the final finger plate with a hollow inward partial turn. The base line between the fingers accented by engraved lines. The ends of the plates are decorated with a filed notch on the end opposite the thumb. The thumb area is cracked. The form of the cracks and stiffness indicate it may have been tempered. Some original rivets remain, some replaced. The rivets on the terminal plate, articulation rivets between the last 3 plates, two of the metacarpal lame rivets, two rivets for securing the glove to the cuff and one of the rivets securing the inside of the wrist appear original. There are some small remains of fabric under some of the rivet heads. These appear to have been used to secure the glove.
Similarly constructed gauntlets are found in Mantova B34 (dated 1500-1505) and B35 (dated 1500-1510) - with an earlier form on the end of the cuffs, associated with Henry VIII's Tonlet armour (RA 11.7) dated to 1520 - but with an earlier form on the end of the cuff and Wallace A278 which is etched and has the final finger plate extended to form a locking gauntlet (dated 1570) and another plain but very similar gauntlet is illustrated on a suit dated to 1560 - #7 from L'Ameria Del Museo Civico Medievale De Bologna. The form of this gauntlet is closest to the RA example. The edge treatment on the cuff is later, but the form is similar - the later ones include a longer, more pointed cuff more typical of 1560-70.
Measurements: 10 1/4 in. long, 4 3/8 in. wide at the knuckle plate.
Thickness: Cuff generally .040-.050 in. The thickness rises at the wrist to .060 in. and very thin over the base of the thumb - .020 in. and in some places even thinner. Metacarpal, knuckle and finger plates .030-.040 in.
Weight: 15.4 ounces (435 g).
If you have any questions, please send them to Wade Allen
This site last updated Mon Dec 27 11:29:14 EST 2021