Tuesday 30 July 2013

Crests in 1440s: part 2

These are some images from the second half of the decade (1445-1449).

Amiens BM MS.483 Eracles
http://manuscriptminiatures.com/3932/10785/  1440-1445 France
1. Several men wear tubular bands around their helms. Most have vertical lines. They are very similar to the bourelets worn in contemporary fashion by both men and women in France and the surrounding Low Countries. The bourelet is like a rolled or stuffed tube, usually of bright fabric. I am going to identify this head gear as distinct from the clearly rolled torses.
2. The character in the middle has a small single tailed pennon flying from a small stem that has gold root-like rays snaking down onto the crown of the bascinet.


Amiens BM MS.483 Eracles
http://manuscriptminiatures.com/3932/10776/  1440-1445 France
Three men have small pennons attached to the top of the helm. This time, the helms are frog mouth helm, kettle hat and a peak visored grand bascinet. Including the plain bascinet with a chain aventail in the previous image, it because clear that this kind of helm adornment is suitable for a wide range of West European helms in the early 15th C.


Amiens BM MS.483 Eracles
http://manuscriptminiatures.com/3932/10784/   1440-1445 France
Thick torse with free tails worn over a helm.


NYPL MA 104 Bible History
http://manuscriptminiatures.com/4741/13616/   1445 Germany
This helm shows a small, fitted red mantle, as worn by a crowned figure in the next image.


NYPL MA 104 Bible History
http://manuscriptminiatures.com/4741/13614/    1445 Germany
I love the stylised side views of the crowns. Both crowned men wear short mantles under their crowns. Nice gold lamellar and rosette style helm disc, too.


NYPL MA 104 Bible History
http://manuscriptminiatures.com/4741/13617/   1445 Germany
Not sure if he has a red plume or his head is spouting feathers of blood due to being hit in the head with a big rock.


NYPL MA 104 Bible History
http://manuscriptminiatures.com/4741/13594/   1445 Germany
Man in green on the left has a large feather rising from the join between the crown and brim of his helm.


Morgan M.82 Book of Hours
http://manuscriptminiatures.com/4701/12975/  1440-1449 Belgium
Green bourelet worn over helm. Nice purse on the older man's hip.