The frontier armor I am researching is believed to be Pueblo tribe, allied with Spanish c.1680-1720 made in cuir boulli, which is of boiled bull hide, dried, shaped and hardened. ...the breast plate and back secured by lashings.
The skirted tassets are of rawhide and as with the entire assembly based on Spanish type armor of previous century.
The use of antiquated and obsolete equipage in the New World was of course typical as the expeditions from the time of the conquistadors were comprised of mostly private individuals, not militarily supplied forces.
This particular element of armor appears to be unique as it is of cuir boulli rather than the heavily layered hides used to construct the more ubiquitous leather jackets (cuera) used throughout the Spanish colonies in the frontiers.
There have been unsubstantiated claims claiming this is from the Philippines, which as far as I can see incorrect, as the armor of the Moros is of entirely different construction, based apparently on the Islamic armor from trade and contact from India and Arab traders long before Spanish arrival in 16th c.
These armors open from front and are of plates connected by mail (typically brass in the Filipino examples).
The only instances of leather use seem to be of lacquered form (not cuir boulli) and probably water buffalo (carabou) as the horns of these animals are typically used for the plates of the armor.
I would very much appreciate the opinions and comments of those of you out there who have expertise in these areas of collecting.
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