Red Lion Shield

German · c. 1420 AD · European Series

Bearing the heraldic red lion on a field of gold, this tall German heater shield traces its lineage to the ritterlich tradition of late-Gothic tournament and parade culture that flourished across the Holy Roman Empire in the early 15th century.

Constructed from plywood boards, edge-jointed and reinforced with linen applied wet then burnished smooth. The lion device is laid in vermilion over a bole-levelled gold ground. The rim is bound in raw-hide stitched with waxed linen thread. A central iron rivet secures the internal grip bar. The backing is lined with vegetable-tanned leather for comfort against the forearm.