Curious cuirass

[fernando]

Originally Posted by cel7

... The only reason I can think of for this is that the user was right-handed and found it helpful if he had a little more room to swing his weapon...

Could be ... and should be, until a better diagnosis comes up.
On the other hand, that indentation in the center of the chest could be someone's later invention. Besides being so 'precisely' located, i wonder whether this shot test was still a procedure by the 19th. century.