Another question for you diehards: What was the approximate cost of a suit of full plate from the mid to late 16th C, and what would that cost be in today's dollars?

Thanks, all,

[ 04-12-2005: Message edited by: Randal Scott ]

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One of the best examples I came across was in Malcom Vales "War and Chivalry", where he quoted a primary source crediting the value of a man at arms harness in the late 15th (I know, a little earlier than you were looking for) equated to six months of his salary, if he had to replace it. Considering that would translate into a high 5 or low 6 figure job today by my rough estimate(the pay-rate for the job that is, some had incomes not dependant on the role), then you are talking a substantial sum.

It depends on the quality of armour of course. I am basing my estimate on a good quality working suit, with all the details present that were on an original harness (to make the best estimate, workable suits exist that are cheaper, but they are not the equivalent in detail to what you are asking about, I think), I will estimate such a suit today will run between $15,000 (mild steel) - $22,000 (Hardened steel). I am thinking that armour today ranges half what it did when it was being made when it was intended for combat use, and sometimes about a third of the cost.

Keep in mind we are (or I am) discussing the complete harness of a mounted knight or man at arms filling the role of one, cap-a-pie, mail gussets and voiders (that will skew it upward a little, but not horrifically if you look at the best quality India produced flat ring wedg riveted variety, and not the painstakingly authentic, which likely costs the same or a little more than it did back then, due to the person making it not having the shop and apprentice, nor the material supply he would have had) - not a generic piece of workable armour that is not historically accurate in all details.

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It was not cheap, it is comparitively cheaper now than it was then, and the thing keeping todays armour market where it is at is that Middle class customers are the primary buyers of good replica harnesses. In rare cases, rich people buy them, but those interested in armour who are rich tend to buy antique armour, only filling gaps in their collections with replicas.

people like me don't buy complete harnesses, they make up composits over the years as their wallets allow. Let me state, I believe those working at the high end of the armour market are charging fair value for their labour. They are not overcharging. Better SCA armourers routinely undercharge, because that is what their market will bear, and the majority of them (Not to be cruel, or inflamatory, but the majority of people producing sport armour don't have the raw tallent or eye to produce accurate historical armours) overcharge for their wares, because they only vaugely resemble armour, and neither function nor fit like real armour.

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"For a paire of Curasses blacke with a Headpeece xxvj [shillings]/viij [pennies];

Item for a long french pistoll with a firelock - xxvj/viij;

Item for a Light horsemans's Staffe - ij/vi;

Item for a Sword Dagger & Girdle - x;

Item for a paire of Sleeves of Mayle - viij;

Item for a Saddle of Morocco Fashion and counterfeit Buff with girts, stirrops headstall Bridle croper and pillane for ye pistol - xxvi/viij;

Item for a millian fustian Dublet - xx

Item for a paire of Shamweys Venetians xx

Item for two paire of Stockings - xiij

Item for two Shirts with falling bands - xij

Item for Bootes & Spurs - viij

Item for a paire of shoes - ij

Item for a Hat or Cap - ij/vj

Thus one may note from this that a munitions-grade cuirass with helmet, a wheellock pistol, and a saddle complete all cost the same, while a doublet and chamios breeches were't a lot cheaper! A sword with dagger and belt cost HALF as much as a doublet or chamios breeches, while a paire of maille sleeves cost even less. Boots and spurs cost less that two pairs of stockings.

the 16th Century was an era of incredible inflation (one source claims that the income of a worker of 1600 was almost down to half that of the same tradesmen 100 years earlier) so it skewed prices wildly, but this shows to some extent that our own ideas of what should be expensive, and what shouldn't be, are wildly skewed as well.

For a good rule of thumb for arming up an aristocratic Man-at-Arms for the period 1500-1600, just think "Jaguar" or "Mercedes" for cost of garniture and horses, and you about have it. A good top-level Dressage Stallion today is in the $65-100,000 range, and I believe that a good war horse would be in the same league both in abilities, training and price tag. The higher the class, the nicer the items, and the higher the costs involved.

Hope this is of some service,

Cheers,

Gordon

[ 04-09-2005: Message edited by: Gordon ]

[ 04-11-2005: Message edited by: Gordon ]

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Thanks again,

R

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