German Iron Stirrup Pair

The breastplate with pronounced vertical rib and two rivets to front, roll at neck and splay at base with rivets to full perimeter, with inked accession numbers '21238A' (crossed through) and 'SDM - EW1' above '1931 - 30 - 6, a' and inked handwritten paper label reading 'Old Spanish Armour (Conquistador) / Found with remains of Spanish Galleon on / the estate of Leakin family (Georgia) coast. / about 1870. Refer to Trinity College Hertford Ct. / for information in Leakin family. / Given originally to Mrs Mark Howden (Hartford Ct.) / [ ] when I was 7 years old. / Luke W Lee 1944' in eight lines and also with chalked 'Old Spanish Armour / from Georgia 1944' inscription in two lines; the backplate generally matching but with vertical groove at centre and no splay at base, with inked accession numbers '31238B' (crossed through) and 'SDM - EW1' above '1951 - 30 - 6, b'. 3.3 kg, 42.5 cm high



From a Southern Californian museum, with accession numbers. Ex American collector. Acquired from TimeLine Auctions, UK, 2018, lot 181. The Kusmirek Collection, UK. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.204020.

Trinity College, Hartford was founded in 1823; further research in their archives could provide more information on this cuirass set and the site of the 'Spanish galleon' shipwreck discovered in about 1870.

Suitable for use with an onager or other catapult-type siege weapon; with smooth surface. 1.4 kg, 10 cm



Acquired 1971-1972. From the collection of the vendor's father. Property of a London, UK, collector.

The operation of the onager (Latin for 'wild ass') is first mentioned in 353 A.D. by Ammianus Marcellinus in his Res Gestae and more fully in Vegetius's Epitoma Rei Militaris probably written in the reign of Emperor Theodosius I (378-395 A.D.).

Comprising a full face shield with broad wavy bars and a small mouth opening, a wide hinged visor; the visor and the front section of the helmet secured by large hook-and-eye closures on the right-hand side; the crown with a tall ridge running from front to back, small collar for protecting the neck. 1.14 kg, 25 cm high



Acquired from Andrew Bennett in 2016. The Kusmirek Collection, UK. Accompanied by a copy of a payment confirmation from Andrew Bennett, dated 1st June 2016. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no. 11768-203986.

This variation of the burgonet helmet is thought to have originated in the Savoy region of southeast France, and was very popular with heavy cavalry (Reiters) serving with a variety of Continental armies of the period. The term Savoyard is a reference to a large number of these helmets that the Swiss captured from the troops of the Duke of Savoy during an unsuccessful assault on the city of Genoa in 1602. The undulated bars and the small mouth of the visor are all indicative of the Savoyard style. The hinges on the side allowed the front of the helmet as a whole to be lifted away from the rear, aiding the wearer to place it over his head.