The Iron Man Cometh: Earl of Warwick harness is finally completed

Let me begin in the middle of the story. If you are one of those who simply cannot enjoy a television show that you did not tune in to at the very beginning, you are probably going to be a little disappointed here. In this space I just want to tell you how it came to be that I found myself spending countless hours drooling over digital images of cold, lifeless steel being hammered into a brilliant, creation of smooth surfaces and graceful lines. Of course I am talking about Medieval armour being forged from sheets of ordinary metal into true works of art. To understand where that unrepressed dream was first realized, you would have to travel back another two decades or so, but that is a tale that I have recounted several times before and do not want to take the time to explain it all over again. (For the complete story, see Knight Dreams.)

No, this chapter begins in the Fall of 2006. I had recently traveled to London on business and had found the opportunity to tour parts of the city. There were some remarkable sights, no doubt that caught my attention, but it was when I walked through the Wallace Collection that my heart leapt. There in that nondescript building were rooms filled with armour. It was simply not fair. For almost over six years I had managed to keep the armourlust at bay. Although I had treated myself to an untold number of movies and novels set in the Middle Ages, I had been able to repress the insatiable urge. It was when I stood and marveled at the perfect specimen of the mounted Gothic knight not hidden behind glass or metal bars that I finally decided I could endure it no longer. Call it a full-blown mid-life crisis or a complete and total lack of regard for my own personal financial security. I, myself, chose to blame it on the bloody English!

After declaring to myself that I would give in and go for it all, I only had to find someone talented enough to build my dream. I considered a number of armourers across North America and Great Britain. After an exhaustive search, I finally decided to commission my new harness through Éric Dubé of Armurerie du Duché in Quebec, Canada. It was a difficult decision based on quality of previous armours in relation to the prices listed. I received several quotes from other sources who promised great things, but I was not as impressed by their efforts on authentic reproductions. Some of the factors to consider are whether or not the pieces–especially helmets–are raised from a a single piece of metal or are welded together. The skill level required is significantly higher and thus is reflected in the price.

Then, in November 2006, there was no going no turnig back. I took the plunge and sent Éric the initial deposit in order to save a place in his queue. The next step was to find the particular suit of armour that I wanted duplicated or at least modeled after. In the end, I decided that if I was going to spend the money for a high-quality piece, it might as well be one that is completely unique.

I selected the harness worn in the funeral effigy of Richard Beauchamp, the 13th Earl of Warwick. It is one of the more remarkable and unique suits of armour that I have ever seen. The photograph below is of his effigy in Saint Mary’s Church in Warwickshire. Pay special attention to the ubiquitous channels down the breastplate and plackart. Though many armourers have tried in vain to duplicate the harness depicted in the effigy, I have ever only seen one that seemed to capture its full essence. That one noteworthy reproduction is currently on display at the Royal Armouries museum in Leeds, England.

I guess you could say that I set the bar very high. In truth, I have to admit that I retained some doubt whether or not Éric could actually pull it off. It was his sincere desire to create something extraordinary that convinced me to go through with it. It would be a gamble as there is generally no such thing as a money-back guarantee in armouring.

The project went way over budget and was infinitely more complex than Éric had anticipated. Many pieces were forged two or three times to get the right size and fit. Within a few months, he had a pile of scrap armour pieces big enough to make two or three other harnesses. The overages became so much that he had to start working on additional projects just to cover the costs. Throughout the ordeal, he was very honorable and never suggested that the price be increased. I told him that the delayed delivery was fine as long as he promised his best work. I would rather wait for quality than settle for speed. We agreed to a couple of additional delays that pushed the completion even further back. From commission to delivery, the entire project took almost 18 months.

The last unknown and completely overlooked factor was the cost of delivery. It seemed that everyone had their hand in the cookie jar. UPS was selected as the commercial carrier. As the shipment would cross international borders, Customs brokers, duties, tariffs, insurance and several other miscellaneous and equally unadvertised costs were added in. It was enough to almost–I emphasize almost–leave a bad taste in my mouth. No matter how bad the Canadian and American governments tried to flog me, I was nothing short of estatic when the delivery date arrived and a 120-pound wooden crate was dropped off on my door step. It seemed to take hours before I finally got all of the screws out and was able to throw the lid off into the floor. The beauty of the craftsmanship was enough to make that year and a half wait worth every minute.