60 AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 
during the second 
half of the fifteenth 
century. 
The handsome 
armor of alternate 
stripes of black and 
of silver damascene, 
also included in our 
illustrations, is of 
later date. It is of 
German  manufac- 
ture. The shoe and 
gauntlet are built 
up of separate 
plates, conferring 
the suppleness and 
flexibility which the 
swordsmanship of 
that day required. 
Splendid with 
gold repoussé is the 
half armor designed 
for the great Gon- 
salvo de Cordoba, 
presumably about 
the year 1590. Its 
gorget is orna- 
mented with the 
collar of the Golden 
Fleece. The temper 
of the metal is un- 
surpassed. This 
example resembles 
closely that of Alessandro Farnese, Duke of Parma, pre- 
served in the Vienna Museum. A Milanese shield (ron- 
dache), likewise dating from the second half of the sixteenth 
century, is mounted immediately below the armor. It rep- 
resents a fierce struggle of mail-clad knights and is won- 
derfuily executed. 
A fitting companion piece of the same period, no less 
elaborate in finish, and even more artistic, is the beautifully 
etched and gilded half armor signed by Pompeo della Cesa. 
BSSSSS 
Milanese half armor by Pompeo 
della Cesa (1590) 
A collection of casques and head pieces; the second helmet from the left in the top row 
is supposed to have been that worn by Joan of Arc 
“contemporaneous 
February, 1909 
The scalloped 
edges that peep 
from under the 
skirt and shoulder 
pieces belong to the 
velvet garment 
worn underneath. 
The shield (ron- 
dache) displayed 
beneath the armor 
was made some- 
where about the 
close of the six- 
teenth century by an 
Italian craftsman. 
The specimen of 
sixteenth century 
chia ime marily ilus- 
trated herewith and 
the helmet above it 
are Turkish. The 
shield below is of 
German workman- 
ship. Both show 
elaborate gilding 
and etching. ‘Their 
juxtaposition gives 
the student a fine 
opportunity for 
comparing the Ger- 
man and _ Saracen 
schools. The shield 
was probably designed for a Spanish nobleman—at least that 
is what competent authorities surmise. To the left of the 
armor a German (Saxon) two-handed sword is hung, which 
was also made about the sixteenth century. Contrasting 
strongly with the deadly earnestness of this weapon is the 
two-handed ceremonial sword displayed to the right of the 
armor. Like the former, this is of German workmanship, 
probably the product of some Swiss craftsman. It is of 
earlier date, and was fashioned probably in the second half 
Milanese half armor made by Lucio Piccini for 
Gonsalvo de Cordoba (1590) 
The helmet and shield of 
Louis XIV 
