Someone in my group recently mentioned "illusion armouries" in the US, and said that though they turn out a lot of fun-but-inauthentic munition stuff for the SCA, they also do a line in more accurate stuff that's still pretty good value.

I'm over in the UK, so their stuff doesn't turn up here very often. Does anybody over in the US know anything about the quality of their work?

Thanks

I never talked to Scott Martin the whole time of the order. He doesn't return e-mails, answer questions or have any kind of customer relations at all. His wife is nice, but she seems to be in charge of making excuses. To wait that long and have the stuff not fit was aggravating. Instead of sending the pauldrons back I sold them and hired another armourer to fix the breast/back and make the pauldrons, gauntlets, helm and greaves. I'll never buy from them again.

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I have to second what Seigneur de Leon has to say, especislly regarding customer service. I have seen a number ofIllusions products. They generally resemble what they should, but suffer regarding detail.

I would rate his best stuff as looking like munition armour (I'm talking about his 15th century work), but having the following flaws, 1. too much room in the helmets (for SCA padding purposes) 2. any hinges or buckles are adapted modern ones 3. very bare in detail. 4. his repetoire is largely stainless steel, although he works in mild as well. I am told his earlier work was better, and quicker, but from what I have seen of it, it is a modern adaption of medieval design rather than a close copy of actual armour.

I'd rate his best stuff this way - outstanding for SCA purposes, the stainless stuff very good for the jousting circut where it is going to be banged to hell and exposed to falling in the lists, adequate for re-enactment (you know, the typical WOR federation households), and not adequate for Living History.

If you want a short list of outstanding American armourers (specializing primarily in 15th century items), I can provide you with 4 who will match anything you can get in the UK & Europe (and in many cases best them) Robert MacPhereson, Jeff Hedgecock, Tom Justus, and Peter Fuller (to add a Canadian). Prices aren't cheap, and waiting lists are long however.

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I wasn't looking to buy from them myself - I'd much sooner buy from an armourer I can visit to get measured, and who I can take the stuff back to if it doesn't fit - but a friend had been quoted an exceedingly good price for a tilting armour.

I was applying my dear old dad's rule that if a deal sounds too good to be true, probably is, and thought I'd find out if anyone over there knew their work.