Platnéřství – Brožek Petr (2020)

The impressive plate armor of a medieval warrior is not just a mere artifact from museum collections: it is a historical source of its kind, a showcase of the most advanced craftsmanship, and in some cases, a highly valuable work of art. The craft of armoring, once a respected and highly valued trade, is certainly not forgotten even today. The authors of this book are proof of that: one is engaged in the practical production of plate armor according to original technologies, while the other focuses on the reconstruction of medieval combat methods. The result of their collaboration is a unique work in many respects: after an introduction dedicated to the development of protective armor from the 8th to the 17th century and the essential foundations of iron processing technology, they will gradually guide you through the production of individual components of plate armor and the original techniques used in the workshops of medieval armorers. Various functional and decorative details, the embellishment of armor, the issue of forgeries, restoration, and both historical and contemporary prices of armoring products are also not overlooked. Everything is supplemented with rich visual material coming directly from the author's armoring workshop, including detailed photographic documentation of the production of a replica of a 15th-century German Gothic armor.