Agamemnon's cuirass -- myArmoury.com

Dan Howard · Posted: Sun 09 Mar, 2014 4:10 am Post subject:

It still needs to be coloured. Each of the bands will be silver, gold, and cobalt blue. Luckily it is Greek and not Roman. If the Romans had decorated it in their tasteless fashion it would have been dipped in tin and painted bright red.

Matthew Amt · Posted: Sun 09 Mar, 2014 10:35 am Post subject:

Shahril Dzulkifli · Posted: Thu 13 Mar, 2014 8:08 am Post subject: Agamemnon's cuirass

One word - Magnificent! Wink

Dan Howard · Posted: Sat 22 Mar, 2014 1:13 am Post subject:

It took two days to apply six layers of Ceramit. The plates had to be pre-heated before the Ceramit was applied and they had to be cured in the oven after each application. Enamelling is now finished. Gilding is next.

Joshua Anthony · Posted: Sun 23 Mar, 2014 7:01 pm Post subject:

Wow. Spectacular. The Illiad and the Odyssey are two of my favorite books, so to see something like this come to life is really fun. Great work!

Jean Thibodeau · Posted: Sun 23 Mar, 2014 11:17 pm Post subject:

Ceramit ? I'm guessing some form of ceramic or enamel finish ? I guess I could have Googled the name first before asking the question ? Wink

In any case I assume that this real close to what might have been done in period with a similar material ?

Nit picking questions aside, that is seriously beautiful work ..... WOW Laughing Out Loud

Also on a " materials question " I would think that it is also a very durable finish that adheres to the base bronze very well ?

Dan Howard · Posted: Mon 24 Mar, 2014 12:09 am Post subject:

Ceramit is a modern enamel substitute.
https://www.ishor.com/Ceramit.php

We selected it for a few reasons:
1. It is more flexible than proper enamel, which is a brittle glass, so it should be more durable.
2. It is easier and a lot quicker to apply because there is no need for the cloisonning that is needed for real enamel.
3. Jeff didn't want to spend the thousands of dollars needed for a large kiln and vitreus enamel powders.
4. The temperature required to fire proper enamel is hot enough to anneal the metal and reduce the work-hardening of the plate.
5. It was the cheapest option out of the alternatives.

Randall Moffett · Posted: Mon 24 Mar, 2014 5:46 am Post subject:

Lovely looking project. Really coming along well!

RPM

Dan Howard · Posted: Wed 26 Mar, 2014 2:02 pm Post subject:

Behold the artisanal genius of Jeffrey Hildebrandt. Hephaistos himself would be envious. Some finished touches and sewing in the lining and it should be done.

Dan Howard · Posted: Wed 26 Mar, 2014 2:03 pm Post subject:

Pauldrons and mitra.

Mart Shearer · Posted: Wed 26 Mar, 2014 2:30 pm Post subject:

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Jeffrey does so much top-notch work that I don't know how he finds the time to photograph it. Simply stunning.

Harry Lindfors · Posted: Thu 27 Mar, 2014 12:15 am Post subject:

I keep coming back to this thread just to eyeball the pictures. Bronze age is not my main era of interest, yet this harness is one of the most amazing pieces of repro armour I have ever seen. Truly, armour worthy of the great heroes of the Iliad...

Jason Daub · Posted: Thu 27 Mar, 2014 12:06 pm Post subject:

This is the single most impressive bit of Bronze Age reproduction/interpretation I have ever seen. I am thrilled to see a bit of the Iliad come alive.

Dan Howard · Posted: Thu 27 Mar, 2014 1:56 pm Post subject:

It has taken over a year but it is finally finished. I'm glad the process went so slowly so we could consider each stage carefully and not mess anything up. Jeff is a pleasure to deal with and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Royal Oak Armoury to anyone. The photos in this thread speak for themselves.

Here is the armour with all its components. After reading Homer's work many times I'm convinced that Agamemnon didn't wear a mitra plate (though some other Homeric heroes did) and that nobody described in the book wore shoulder armour. But we have evidence of shoulder armour dating only a little earlier so it is possible that some fighters wore it during the attack on Troy. The armour isn't just a reconstruction of Agamemnon's armour but a tool to help me learn how these types of cuirasses function.

Randall Moffett · Posted: Thu 27 Mar, 2014 7:48 pm Post subject:

This is amazing Dan! Such a lovely recreation!!!

I love all the colors on it. Really changes the presentation of it.

RPM

Michael Harley · Posted: Thu 27 Mar, 2014 8:56 pm Post subject:

Dan and Jeff, sensational.

Todd Feinman · Posted: Thu 27 Mar, 2014 9:06 pm Post subject:

I'm just gonna post what I said over at the BAC!:

GIGGLING MOTHER OF ZEUS ON A GEM-ENCRUSTED POGO STICK!! That is SUPERB!
Just an amazing achievement, Jeffrey! Dan you are sooooooooooooo LUCKY.. THAT is the COOLEST armour I have EVER seen.
It is such a treat just to behold it! And the goat leather lacing is PERFECT for it too. Did I mention that's the COOLEST armour ever? Dan, did I mention you are lucky?

Jean Thibodeau · Posted: Fri 28 Mar, 2014 1:52 am Post subject:

Dan Howard · Posted: Fri 28 Mar, 2014 3:07 am Post subject:

"Afterwards he girt on about his chest the cuirass
That Kinyras had given him once, to be a guest present.
For the great fame and rumour of war had carried to Cyprus
How the Achaians were to sail against Troy in their vessels.
Therefore he gave the king as a gift of grace this armour.
Now there were ten dark bands of cobalt upon it,
And twelve of gold and twenty of tin. And toward the opening
At the throat there were rearing up serpents of cobalt,
Three on either side, like rainbows, which the son of Kronos
Has marked upon the clouds, to be a portent to mortals.
Across his shoulders he slung the sword, and the nails upon it
Were golden and glittered, and closing about it the scabbard
Was silver, and gold was upon the swordstraps that held it.
And he took up the man-enclosing elaborate stark shield,
A thing of splendour. There were ten circles of bronze upon it,
And set about it were twenty knobs of tin, pale-shining,
And in the very centre another knob of dark cobalt.
And circled in the midst of all was the blank-eyed face of the Gorgon
With her stare of horror, and Fear was inscribed upon it, and Terror.
The strap of the shield had silver upon it, and there also on it
Was coiled a cobalt snake, and there were three heads upon him
Twisted to look backward and grown from a single neck, all three.
Upon his head he placed his two-horned, four-bossed helmet
The horse tail crest nodded menacingly down from above."

Todd Feinman · Posted: Fri 28 Mar, 2014 3:49 am Post subject:

The re-creation of this armour is a historic event! Aside from being absolutely exquisite, superlative and a pleasure to behold, it is also very convincing historically. It's a testament to Jeffrey's consumate skills as a metal artist; 300 years from now (if civilization is still intact), people will still be marvelling at it and discussing it. Congratulations Dan and Jeffrey!!