2 - The Sleeve from Bussy-Saint-Martin: A Rare Example of Medieval Quilted Armor

Summary

Medieval garment pieces still in a good state of preservation are extremely rare. The quilted Bussy-Saint-Martin sleeve (fig. 2.1) is one of them. Listed in France's Monuments Historiques (1954), it has been exhibited as a relic of St. Martin of Tours since the nineteenth century in the church of Bussy-Saint-Martin, in the Seine-et-Marne region of France. The sleeve is relatively well preserved, forming a cohesive whole that goes from the fingertips to the neckline. It is made of silk and layers of linen, padded with cotton. However, it is not fully intact. The report of the restoration carried out in 1995 points out the sleeve's incomplete condition, including notable wearing-out of the outside layer of brown taffeta, which shows traces of rust. The cotton stuffing is visible in many places and shows signs of mould, and many insects were extracted from the cotton stuffing during restoration. The inside lining of the sleeve is almost entirely gone. The glove is remarkably well preserved, but with evidence of it having been ripped near the wrist. Radiocarbon dating indicated that the sleeve was created between 1160 and 1270. Following its restoration, the sleeve was micro-vacuumed, sealed in a layer of transparent wrap, and reset in its reliquary.

The Bussy-Saint-Martin sleeve is a remarkable object that brings to light a great deal of knowledge of tailoring and testifies to the elaborate character of sewing and assembly techniques in the late twelfth to thirteenth centuries. At the same time, it raises a number of questions. In its current state, the preserved sleeve has an independent existence. No other garment or piece of a garment can be matched with it. Is it possible that this sleeve was always unattached and not what remains of an initially complete, sleeved garment? The poor condition of some parts of the sleeve can be explained by its age and the vicissitudes of past preservation. But the good condition of the glove is surprising, with restorers noting that parts of the linen are still practically white. So, is it possible that the glove, and even the sleeve, have never been used?