Captaine Abraham Stanyan

of the Red Regiment London Trayned bands, painted in 1644. I can’t find anything about this painting or where it is now, but I do know a little about the good Captaine who was a leading member of the London Company of Plaisterers before and after the war. He fought in at least one battle during the war and maintained his interest in all things military after the war as a member of the Honourable Artillery Company, (the oldest regiment in the Army which continues to provide reservists for HM Forces right up to today), rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Captaine Stanyan is dressed in his military buff coat which has some gold thread decoration on the seams of the sleeves and decorative clasps up the centre closing. He has plain but serviceable gauntlets and a splendid silk scarf tied at the shoulder, a practical arrangement that keeps the knot out of the way. His collar band is interesting too, seemingly a double layer of linen, each lined with narrow lace. I don’t usually comment on weaponry, but Stanyan has a pole axe or war hammer head on his pole arm and a short flintlock pistol suspended from his coat.

Tags: buffcoat, falling band, gauntlets, hat, scarf