Donated European, WWI Body Armor Breastplate
This item is listed for historical interest only. It was listed on our site previously but has been sold and is no longer available for purchase.
Sold for: $350.00

Original era manufacture. Heavy gauge steel plate which is curved to fit chest, with shoulder strap cut-outs in each upper corner, and additional cut-outs on the lower side edges for a waistbelt. Passing through these cut-outs is set of thin russet leather straps with attaching buckles. I looked through Bashord Dean's book, "Helmets and Body Armor in Modern Warfare", and the closest example I could find there was a British model. A well respected, longtime WWI collector referred to it as Italian.In either case, the darn thing is quite heavy and about 4 mm in thickness. The straps are sound, unbroken, but a bit dry. Donated to Fort Tuthill Military Museum, 2446 Fort Tuthill Loop Rd, Flagstaff, AZ 86005 on September 7, 2018