A COMPOSITE SOUTH GERMAN INFANTRY ARMOUR, PARTLY NUREMBERG, CIRCA 1540-50 comprising burgonet with rounded one-piece skull rising to a low medial comb and fitted at the brow with a broad rounded pivoted peak, at the nape with a neck-guard of two lames and at each side with a hinged cheek-piece (the skull that of an earlier close helmet, and the remainder restored), collar (originally of 'Almain' type), of three lames front and rear, the lowest front one struck with the quality-control mark of the city of Nuremberg and the mark of the Vienna city arsenal (the lowest rear plate patched at its right corner), breastplate formed of a medially-ridged main plate projecting forward over the belly, fitted at its arm-openings with moveable gussets (the left restored), and at its flanged lower edge with a fauld of four lames, the lowest of which is cut over the crotch with a broad shallow notch and supports to either side of it, on replaced straps and buckles a pair of long tassets each of seven lames extending to just above the knee (the first in each case associated), one-piece backplate flanged outwards at its lower edge to receive a culet of one lame (associated), and a pair of spaudlers each of seven lames (the second to sixth restored), extending to the elbows, the main edges of the armour formed with inward turns boldly roped, except in the case of the burgonet, and accompanied by recessed borders, and the subsidiary edges in part decorated with single incised lines (lightly patinated overall) Provenance Dr John F. Hayward, London, sold Sotheby's, London, 1 November 1983, lot 27 (collar, cuirass and tassets)