Henry VIII of England: a rare and historically important gun shield. A convex circular shield

Henry VIII of England: a rare and historically important gun shield. A convex circular shield, or target, composed of two layers of wooden strips laid at right angles, faced with two concentric tiers of eight ferrous plates each formed with a shallow tetrahedral peak and arranged around a large conical central boss, the joints between the plates covered with iron straps at the junctions of which are set eight smaller conical bosses, the rim covered by a further strap of domed section, straps and bosses fixed with cuprous headed iron nails, the upper plate of the inner tier with an aperture for a match lock pistol (not present), the inner face retaining the stubs of leather straps and with traces of fibrous matter and other residual indications of backing materials and fittings, diameter 52 cm, 16th Century.

REFER TO CATALOGUE FOR PROVENANCE, FURTHER EXPLANATION, AND FOOTNOTES