Reproduction Armour

This armour has been entirely hand forged using only period techniques and the highest quality materials available. The helmet features a one-piece skull and the entire armour is adorned using my source of superior 19th century brass. I consider this armour as much a work of sculpture as it is a fully articulated historical study.

This Polish Winged Hussar armour is of the type worn by the officers of the Polish Cavalry in the early to mid 17th century… The Husaria. This armour was fashioned using only four images supplied by my client. It is certainly my most elaborate project to date.

I find it fascinating that in 1645 whilst my English relatives were galloping across the fields of Naseby in plain blackened Ironside armour. At the same time not 1000 miles away, the Polish were doing exactly the same but with such different and elaborate protective dress (understatement)! It was almost as if intimidating their enemy with finery and decoration was as important as their skills with sword and saddle.

This particular armour was commissioned by Captain Andrzej B. Gawlik of the U.S. Marines, who is descended from a long & noble Polish line. Capt, Gawlik can document his family history to the time of the Winged Hussars, and it was in the memory of his late father who was also a collector of Polish militaria, that this piece was commissioned.

Before I had finished this piece my client was asked by The Imperial War Museum London if he would loan it to them to head the ‘The Animals War’ exhibition which runs until June 2007 in London, and being a gentleman Capt Gawlik kindly agreed. But with the ‘closed cabinet’ deadline at The Imperial War Museum approaching there was already little time for me to complete the armour, when at the eleventh hour, Grant Pearmain at FBFX telephoned me and asked if he could have the armour too! Grant wanted to take a mould from the armour to make 25 full sets of Polyurethane armour for the principal actors in a big budget movie being filmed in Russia, and he needed it yesterday.

Fortunately there were a week of evenings and a weekend for me to sacrifice once I had the armour back from FBFX, and Capt Gawlik who by now was resigned to the fact just about everyone was going to get their hands on his armour before he did, once again went with the spirit of the thing, and the armour for the movie 1612 was made… and the deadline at the museum was met.

Thank you again to Captain Gawlik for having such faith in my skills and for being such a great sport. Thank you to The Imperial War Museum London for making such a great display of the armour, and thank you to Grant and Andrew and the rest of the crew at FBFX for the challenge.

The museum armour is shown bright polished, however, once the Imperial War Museum exhibition is over and the armour is back in my care, before finally sending it to my U.S client, I am going to sympathetically age the whole piece. This way it will sit better next to the period pieces in my clients collection as per my clients request. My armourer’s mark has been stamped in two places on this armour. This mark is always my guarantee of a sound investment.

If you are interested in a suit of armour of your own, whether it’s Polish, English, French German or Italian, please do not hesitate to contact me. In fact, anything at all can be recreated for you, it’s all quite simply down to time, and therefore ultimately your budget. All I need are a few clues re; period, style and finish and whether the piece is for wear or display, and I will happily do the rest, and trawl through my extensive library and provide images of exactly what it is I think you are aiming for, and as the famous quote by King Maximillian I to his armourer (below) clearly illustrates, I am at your disposal.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or requests at all, whether it be for full size armour for wear or display, a study in miniature, a single helmet, or all the kings men, I welcome any challenge or restoration. Just click on my contact page, and I will do the rest.

Click here for my contact page

Thank you for your interest, I look forward to our talking in the future.
Nigel Carren

“It's a really magnificent piece of work and a real coup to have it on display at such a terrific exhibition. Well done”.
Dave Allen ,  Private collector

” I never expected the helmet to look so original… it could have been made in 1645 and then bubble wrapped until 2006, I can’t tell you how impressed I am!”
Matt Perry,   Private collector

“It’s nice to see that craftsman still reside in the UK instead of just importers. Your work is really very nice indeed. Alistair at Madregal designs told me about your work and I felt I had to congratulate you”.
Dave Hewitt , White Rose Armoury

“We should have 25 sets of the movie armour ready for next week, which is something we wouldn’t have been able to do without your help. Thank you again for loaning us your armour”.
Grant Pearmain,   FBFX  Ltd

Anything at all can be recreated, it’s all quite simply down to time, and therefore ultimately your budget. All I need are a few clues re; period, style and finish and whether the piece is for wear or display, and I will happily do the rest, and trawl through my extensive library and provide images of exactly what it is I think you are aiming for, and as the famous quote by King Maximillian I to his armourer (below) clearly illustrates, I am at your disposal.

“Arm me according to my own wishes, for it is I not you who will take part in the tournament!”
King Maximillian I  to court armourer Conrad Seusenhofer 1504

My method statement is best illustrated by a quote by the greatest writer on the subject:

“For the study of ancient armour to be successfully pursued, it is of primary importance that a careful examination be made of every existing specimen within our reach… Every rivet-hole and rivet in a piece must be studied, and its use and object thought out”.
Charles Ffoulkes  1909