A superb set of decorated armour sold at Sotheby’s (25/20/12% buyer’s premium) is believed to have set a record. The £880,000 hammer price for the three-quarter-length cuirassier protection is believed to be the highest auction result for 17th century armour.
The three-quarter-length cuirassier protection, right, was made c.1600-10. By the end of the century such a style would be practically obsolete.
Such armour is far from dead in modern-day auction terms, as proved when this set smashed the £300,000-500,000 estimate at the London auction house’s Treasures sale on July 5.