Jakob Topf, (1530-1597г.), Innsbruck, Austria.
Little information remains about Jakob Topf. In 1575, he worked for Archduke Ferdinand I in Innsbruck. Professor Wendelin Boheim, studying documentary sources about the master, discovered that Topf was absent from Germany between 1562 and 1575, likely working in Italy and England during this time. A valuable source on Jakob's armor is the "Almain Armorer's Album," which is housed in the library of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This album contains over thirty ink and watercolor drawings (43 x 29 cm), depicting twenty-nine suits of armor with additional fittings for tournaments. Under drawing #14 is the inscription, "This tournament armor was made by me, Jakob," but Topf's name does not appear in the album. Artists: 1. Earl of Rutland, 2. Earl of Bedford, 3. Earl of Lesseter, 4. Earl of Sussex, 5. Duke John, 6. Sir William Settle, 7. Lord Scrope, 8. Earl of Lesseter, 9. Lord Hundson, 10. Sir George Howard, 11. Lord North, 12. Duke of Norfolk, 13. Earl of Worcester, 14. Sir Henry Lee, 15. Sir Christopher Hatton, 16. Earl of Pembroke, 17. Sir Christopher Hatton, 18. Sir John Smith, 19. Sir Henry Lee, 20. Earl of Cumberland, 21. Sir Christopher Hatton, 22. Mr. Mac Williams, 23. Lord Chancellor (Sir Thomas Bromley), 24. Lord Cobbon, 25. Sir Henry Lee, 26. Lord Cumpton, 27. Mr. Skidmoor (John Scudamore), 28. Lord Bouckaert, 29. Sir Bale Decena.
Famous customers of the master:
Emperor Ferdinand II.
Armor of the great master you can see:
Schloss Ambras Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Hofjagd- und Rüstkammer, Vienna, Austria.