ModernChivalry.org

Main => The Armoury => Topic started by: Sir James A on 2013-10-10, 15:28:45

Title: AMAZING work by Robert MacPherson - but it's not armor
Post by: Sir James A on 2013-10-10, 15:28:45
I was blown away when I saw this. It's completely not historically based, but it's beyond cool - and seems he came up with this all on his own?

http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=166228 (http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=166228)

I want one! 8)
Title: Re: AMAZING work by Robert MacPherson - but it's not armor
Post by: Sir Edward on 2013-10-10, 15:37:14

That's very cool!
Title: Re: AMAZING work by Robert MacPherson - but it's not armor
Post by: Thorsteinn on 2013-10-10, 18:57:32
 :o :D

Want!
Title: Re: AMAZING work by Robert MacPherson - but it's not armor
Post by: Sir Vander Linde on 2013-10-11, 02:29:50
Oh dear... *adds to want list*
Title: Re: AMAZING work by Robert MacPherson - but it's not armor
Post by: Sir William on 2013-10-11, 14:03:51
Wow...now that's freaking awesome.
Title: Re: AMAZING work by Robert MacPherson - but it's not armor
Post by: Lord Dane on 2013-10-11, 22:14:06
Ooooo that pretty.
Title: Re: AMAZING work by Robert MacPherson - but it's not armor
Post by: Sir Martyn on 2013-10-20, 03:38:45
Damn....
Title: Re: AMAZING work by Robert MacPherson - but it's not armor
Post by: Timothy on 2013-10-21, 00:18:02
Thanks for sharing that. That project is simply brilliant! It is a work of art and engineering. I am very impressed.
I wonder how much weight it can hold?

Tim 
Title: Re: AMAZING work by Robert MacPherson - but it's not armor
Post by: Sir Douglas on 2013-10-21, 02:29:31
Oh man...that is really slick!  :o
Title: Re: AMAZING work by Robert MacPherson - but it's not armor
Post by: Sir James A on 2013-10-21, 14:08:47
This topic came up at MD Renn Fest yesterday, and I thought I should post some of Robert MacPherson's armor work, to really show his depth of awesomeness.... he made two of my all-time favorite harnesses.

Dr Tobias (Toby) Capwell's "Black and Brass" epic armor:
(http://www.lightlink.com/armory/hojo.jpeg)
(which he sold... he SOLD! how??)

And this epic harness with meticulous brass/gold engraved trim - which I believe was recently worn by somebody at the Higgins, as some photos surfaced on FB of someone - a person I am *quite* jealous of - wearing the harness:
(http://www.lightlink.com/armory/dwayne.jpeg)

I'm sad that he doesn't make armor any more, but, even if he did, I can't afford his work if I want to eat more than once a month for the next 5 years. Still, armor of this quality is rare, and I drool simply from seeing the pictures.
Title: Re: AMAZING work by Robert MacPherson - but it's not armor
Post by: Sir Douglas on 2013-10-21, 16:23:06
Wait wait wait wait....Dr. Capwell SOLD that beautiful harness of his!?  :o
Title: Re: AMAZING work by Robert MacPherson - but it's not armor
Post by: Sir Martyn on 2013-10-22, 03:12:26
Wow fantastic stuff - thanks for sharing, James.
Title: Re: AMAZING work by Robert MacPherson - but it's not armor
Post by: Sir Edward on 2013-10-22, 14:14:52
Yeah, that is some serious armor-porn right there.

If I won the lottery, I'd be tempted to see if there was some amount of money I could pay Mac to bring him out of retirement for such a project.
Title: Re: AMAZING work by Robert MacPherson - but it's not armor
Post by: Sir Martyn on 2013-10-28, 21:08:29
Well said, Sir Ed!
Title: Re: AMAZING work by Robert MacPherson - but it's not armor
Post by: Sir Wolf on 2013-10-29, 01:01:40
ya. mac's a cool guy. i've been in his shop a few times. :)
Title: Re: AMAZING work by Robert MacPherson - but it's not armor
Post by: Sir Martyn on 2013-11-07, 22:18:20
James, how much would harnesses like those two Mac customs run?
Title: Re: AMAZING work by Robert MacPherson - but it's not armor
Post by: Sir James A on 2013-11-07, 22:31:23
James, how much would harnesses like those two Mac customs run?

Complete guess, but I'd say $25k-$30k when he made them back in the mid/late 90s. Today's prices, $35k for the black/brass and $40k for the KD Garniture one? I can ask him and see if he'd tell me what they cost, as he hasn't made armor for a few years and last I spoke with him, he is not going to make it again either.
Title: Re: AMAZING work by Robert MacPherson - but it's not armor
Post by: Ian on 2013-11-08, 00:02:37
To put it in perspective, we're actually getting off very cheap now-a-days believe it or not!  A top of the line jousting harness runs about $30,000 now.  In period, the purchase of armor was roughly equivalent in magnitude in today's terms to buying a house!
Title: Re: AMAZING work by Robert MacPherson - but it's not armor
Post by: Sir James A on 2013-11-08, 16:50:15
As Sir Ian said, we're still getting off "cheap" compared to our ancestors. Unfortunately we don't have the (legal) ransom income capabilities of their day either. :(

I'm basing my pricing roughly around current pricing by Jeffrey Hedgecock / Historic Enterprises pricing, as I feel he is in the same skill level as Wasson and MacPherson.

http://historicenterprises.com/arms-and-armour-c-101/armour-custom-work-c-101_133/armour-full-italian-milanese-circa-1470-p-574.html (http://historicenterprises.com/arms-and-armour-c-101/armour-custom-work-c-101_133/armour-full-italian-milanese-circa-1470-p-574.html)

http://historicenterprises.com/arms-and-armour-c-101/armour-custom-work-c-101_133/armour-full-italoflemish-circa-1471-p-575.html (http://historicenterprises.com/arms-and-armour-c-101/armour-custom-work-c-101_133/armour-full-italoflemish-circa-1471-p-575.html)

http://historicenterprises.com/arms-and-armour-c-101/armour-custom-work-c-101_133/armour-full-german-circa-1470-p-573.html (http://historicenterprises.com/arms-and-armour-c-101/armour-custom-work-c-101_133/armour-full-german-circa-1470-p-573.html)

http://historicenterprises.com/arms-and-armour-c-101/armour-custom-work-c-101_133/armour-full-german-circa-1480-p-1126.html (http://historicenterprises.com/arms-and-armour-c-101/armour-custom-work-c-101_133/armour-full-german-circa-1480-p-1126.html)
Title: Re: AMAZING work by Robert MacPherson - but it's not armor
Post by: scott2978 on 2014-02-23, 10:30:38
The Black and Brass harness sold at auction back in 2006 with a starting minimum bid of 30,000 euros... that's about $42,000 today.
Title: Re: AMAZING work by Robert MacPherson - but it's not armor
Post by: Ian on 2014-02-23, 15:52:18
The Black and Brass harness sold at auction back in 2006 with a starting minimum bid of 30,000 euros... that's about $42,000 today.

That harness is just something special...  There's lots of really nice harnesses out there, but that one in particular had a certain magic about it.  I really hope that the removal of the blackening is just a nasty unconfirmed rumor.
Title: Re: AMAZING work by Robert MacPherson - but it's not armor
Post by: Sir James A on 2014-02-23, 18:57:43
The Black and Brass harness sold at auction back in 2006 with a starting minimum bid of 30,000 euros... that's about $42,000 today.

That harness is just something special...  There's lots of really nice harnesses out there, but that one in particular had a certain magic about it.  I really hope that the removal of the blackening is just a nasty unconfirmed rumor.

I was trying to find where I saw it posted that Capwell had sold the armor and that the new owner held it privately and removed the blackening. No luck in my bookmarks so far.