Conservation of a jousting reinforcement, belonging to Emperor Maximilian I.

The challenge is described of devising a suitable treatment to hold the leather covering on a jousting reinforce or renntartsche in place while allowing flexibility of the leather. The piece, made for the court of Emperor Maximillian I for the Joust of War, dating from about 1500, was purchased in October 1952 by the Royal Armouries, having formerly belonged to the William Randolph Hearst collection based at St. Donat's Castle, Glamorgan-shire. The armour was brought into the Royal Armouries Conservation Department, Leeds, as part of a refurbishment of the Tournament Gallery, Leeds, in spring 2010. The leather covering was split and cracked and was lifting away from the shield's frame. As part of the conservation treatment, an x-ray examination revealed the unexpected reinforcement construction, the nature of which, and how that fits with accounts of the Joust of War in the pamphlet 'The Triumph of Maximilian I', are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]