AUCTION 45: ANTIQUE ARMS AND ARMOR

AN ITALIAN KNIGHT ARMOR BREASTPLATE IN THE 16TH CEN. STYLE

The auction will start in __ days and __ hours

Start price: $1,000

Estimated price: $1,500 - $2,000

Buyer's premium:

A remarkably well-preserved breastplate from Italy, complete with a folding lance rest on the right side and a V-shaped blade deflector near the top. This type of breastplate is likely to have belonged to a knight or man-at-arms, or quite possibly a mercenary under a ‘condottiere’, given the period. Whether this piece was made for battle or tournament use is unclear, though the absence of decoration makes battle the more likely option.

L: 15 1/2 in., (39.4 cm.)

Condition: Very well preserved, especially considering the age. The lance rest still moves well and there is very little oxidation across the piece. The leather straps are a later replacement as the original leather must have disintegrated long ago.