Almain Collar

[Todd Sullivan]

My good friend, Allen Senefeldor, has a new item that I'm looking forward to trying in relationship to historical fencing. The Almain Collar I think will provide good protection in performance of drills. Just thought I would share.



http://www.merctailor.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=139&osCsid=t60q23kbgcop30dfueraerd855

Almain collar refers to an assembly of gorget and long spaulders called munnions attached directly to the gorget forming a complete unit and seeming to have been developed in Germany sometime in the mid 16th century. The armoury at Graz has literally thousands of these assemblies.

[Dragonlover]

Interesting looking assembly. Should be enough for what you wish to use it
for I would think....and welcome to the forum, good sir.

[Sir Edward]

Very interesting, and very tempting. $275 seems like a good deal. I look forward to hearing how well it works for HEMA

[Das Bill]

How well does it articulate upwards? In other words, if I took a high vom tag, or I made a zwerchhau, how comfortable is the collar?

[Todd Sullivan]

Yes.  I had purchased some of Merc Tailor's armor from a friend that he had purchased 5 years ago. Allen, Merc Tailor's master armorsmith, took the armor from me without discussions, took it back to his forge, and updated it, new rivets etc. In my avatar picture, the pauldrons I am wearing is some of the armor I had purchased. I couldn't touch my hands over my head. He updated it to more of a historical acccuracy from research. He constantly researches armor buy purchasing antique pieces. I can now place my hands over my head. In free movement. If you don't have the book shiney shapes I strongly encourage the purchase.

[Allan Senefelder]

How well does it articulate upwards? In other words, if I took a high vom tag, or I made a zwerchhau, how comfortable is the collar?

Bill, I was surprised at how far the arms can go above the head in this assembley. I can reach both arms up above my head an lace my fingers. This was without a breast and back plate over it and the assembley did rise a little as my shoulders flexed at max arch of the arms so it may be just a bit different with a corslet. Having the original 16th century munion around from one of these assemblies to work from made the process of building much easier. Its really an ingenious construct, allowing large numbers of simple assemblies to be made to cover the neck and shoulder to supply the vast proto national armies of the 16th and 17th centuries. I've seen the cavalry and infantry officers versions of these with besagues attached as well.