This question relates to a costume issue I'm working on, but it's out of
my own field.
I am working with a document from England, c. 1400, that describes a
brooch, worn on the chest, as being as wide as the boss of a buckler.
There is no additional detail. I need to know what that would mean to
the medieval reader.
So: What is the typical diameter of a buckler boss (meaning the round
metal stud-like thing in the middle of a small round shield) from c.
1400 England? I have no idea if any artifacts exist, but I know that
shields with central bosses are evident in artwork. Rather than just
look at illuminations and guess, though, I would feel better consulting
people who work in armor of this period and have a broader sense of the
available evidence.
Bonus points if I can get a citation -- to either a written work (period
document or a modern study), an extant artifact, or an expert who has
studied these well enough to be considered an authority (e.g. not just
"this is what works for me when I make them" or "my Laurel says...").
If anyone here has a contact with an armor expert, or is on a list or
board that includes armor researchers with a strong grounding on period
evidence, I would greatly appreciate your forwarding this query along. I
will gladly take answers either by private e-mail or to this list.
Thanks,
Robin
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