Antique Armourers's Model Miniature Suit of Armor - European. A miniature suit of plate armor of a style seen in the early 16th century. Complete with helm, cuirass, faulds with tassets, pauldrons, rerebraces, greeves, sabatons with tapered points, gauntlets, chainmail, etc. The plate armor has embossed foliate scroll decoration and features a bird at the center of the chest plate. The armor is positioned on a wooden frame, having cloth covered legs stuffed with fiber (possibly hair). The upper torso of the figure is a rope wrapped piece of wood. The figure frame is mounted on a wooden 5.5" h platform base. There have been various repairs to the model over the centuries with wires, nails, and screws of varying ages. The interior surface of the model has significant aged patina. There is a tear in the fabric of the model's "legs" at back. Figure - 30 3/4" h. Provenance: From a private collection with a handwritten letter stating the antique suit of armor was acquired as a gift in 1910. The letter also mentions that the suit was inspected by a London armourer who restored armor for the British Museum and that this piece was most likely an actual armourer's sales model with a date of 1500 CE. There is also a card on the inside of the platform stating exactly the method used for cleaning the suit of armor over the years and the date of each cleaning from 1960-1983.