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Post by Sir Didymous LaRoth on Jun 29, 2011 22:53:34 GMT -5
So, I was working in my meat room today and I started thinking of ways to make my gear more noble and I thought about this. I have a sugarloaf greathelm and I was thinking of making these upgrades to it. It has a brass cross on the front that I was going to engrave with my motto and some light scroll work, and I was going to paint the steel on it red. Then as opportunity arises I was going to add a brass crown and three black plumes.
I've also been having a great deal of problems with rust on my cuirass. It seems that no matter how much I oil it, it rusts like an old car. So I was considering hitting it with some red as well. Then I was going to add the cross off of my coat of arms down the middle of it to help break up the red.
Any thoughts or opinions are welcome.
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Post by Frere Reynald de Pensax on Jul 4, 2011 3:50:22 GMT -5
Painted armour was popular throughout the XI, XII and XIIIth centuries; although it fell out of fashion in the XIVth, and was revived in the following one amongst the non-knightly troops. The black sallets worn by XVth century infantry seem to have been almost always painted.
I really like the idea of engraving the brass re-inforcing strips on your helmet; and it's perfectly in period to paint your helm. I've always enjoyed seeing painted helms, though I've never done this myself because my helms have to be used for different characters. The crown and black plumes would also be a splendid adornment, and authentic with it.
As to the cuirass: this presents another issue. It's certainly true that painting armour was an accepted rust inhibitor during the Middle Ages. However, making any definite statements about torso armour in a XIIIth century context is difficult becaue so little is known about the topic. My advice would be to go for it, as it sounds like it will look superb when it is finished.
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Post by Sir Didymous LaRoth on Jul 4, 2011 23:23:57 GMT -5
Thanks Clive. The Cuirass is going to be used strictly in the case of heavy weapons combat, such as flails, large maces, and hammers. It's a matter of personal safety in our sport combat. I also only use it as part of a later period kit. One other point on the helm painting is that while doing some research I came across an example of a painted sallet and it had Latin inscriptions around the bottom. I thought about including my motto on the back of my heavy spangenhelm (See below) whereas I'm re-painting it just because it's rather beat up. The rest of the motif will stay the same with the exception of a small scroll or banner at the back base of the helm. I also saw some examples of helms with Scriptures etched and painted on them. On the back of my sugarloaf helmet I was going to engrave through the paint Psalm 144:1-2. 1Blessed be the LORD my strength which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:
2My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me.
I was going to try to translate it into middle English, or just use the Latin Vulgate. Engraving through the paint will make it stand out in silver on the red of the helmet.
By time it's all said and done, this helm will hardly be recognizable.
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Post by Frere Reynald de Pensax on Jul 5, 2011 1:38:21 GMT -5
The motto is a splendid idea. I'd be inclined to use Latin for this period.
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Post by Sir Didymous LaRoth on Jul 5, 2011 21:13:15 GMT -5
I was much on the same line of thought but, there have been some Psalters found in middle English. I'll probably use Latin though.
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Post by Sir John Karloff II on Jul 5, 2011 21:50:36 GMT -5
to paint or not to paint,that is the question! well,like you always said my leige,it takes degas to make the van gogh! lol!
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Post by Sir Didymous LaRoth on Jul 19, 2011 9:25:45 GMT -5
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Post by Frere Reynald de Pensax on Jul 19, 2011 10:06:50 GMT -5
I say; your sugarloaf helm looks a bit magnificent now! I wonder what one of your other helms might look like parti-coloured with one side red and the other black, and the cross re-inforce down the front left plain steel?
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