made to the Bargello Museum of Florence by the late Signor Ressman are some fine representative spurs, constructed of decorated and gilded bronze, three of which might be assigned to the latter years of the XIVth century (Fig. 973, a, b, c); while a fourth is a splendid spur of about 1440, of which the upper part of the heel strap is pierced with the word "MARIA" (Fig. 974).
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Fig. 977. Bone-covered saddle of Wenzel I, King of the Romans
About 1380. Imperial Armoury, Vienna
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Fig. 978. Bone-covered saddle
Probably Italian, late XIVth century Metropolitan Museum, New York
Though saddles, apart from those made specifically for purposes of war, are somewhat outside the scope of our subject, we feel that their knightly use justifies us in enumerating certain beautifully designed examples which are to be seen in some of the more important armouries of Europe. We will deal with them as far as possible in chronological order—and quite briefly. First look at the ivory cantle plate in the Musée du Louvre (Fig. 975). It is North Italian in origin, and belongs to the first half of the XIIIth century; indeed, the carving in high relief of a mock combat of horsewomen is quite Romanesque in its style and workmanship. In the full glory of its original state and completeness this saddle, which the Louvre authorities purchased from the Spitzer Collection, must indeed have been an objet de luxe. In the Louvre, too, obtained from the same collection, are some other ivory plates from the cantle of a saddle, which, though of later date, are of even greater interest to us (Fig. 976), the subjects carved upon it representing knights tilting. These knights are habited in the armour of about 1320, which gives us approximately the date of the saddle. One of the knights bears a
