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Costume right leg armor for Tin Man in The Wiz on Broadway

Catalog Data

Designed by:
Geoffrey Holder, Trinidadian American, 1930 - 2014  Search this
Created by:
Fred Nihda, 1931 - 1997  Search this
Worn by:
Tiger Haynes, American, 1914 - 1994  Search this
Subject of:
Black Fashion Museum, American, 1979 - 2007  Search this
Medium:
reinforced plastic, paint, metal, leather, cord, tape, and glue
Dimensions:
H x W x D: 37 1/2 × 8 3/4 × 9 in. (95.3 × 22.2 × 22.9 cm)
Type:
closed greaves
cuisses
Place used:
New York City, Manhattan, New York, United States, North and Central America
Date:
1975
Description:
This right leg armor is part of a costume worn by Tiger Haynes as Tin Man in "The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical 'Wizard of Oz'" on Broadway. The object consists of a cuisse that covers the thigh portion of the leg and a greave that covers the shin of the leg. Both the cuisse and the greave are made from reinforced plastic formed into graduated half cylinders to fit around the leg.
Each piece has a metal hinge on the inside of the leg so that it can be opened and be placed around the leg. Both pieces secure on the outside of the leg with two (2) leather straps and metal buckles. The cuisse also has three (3) sets of metal snap closures. Two (2) leather straps are screwed to the bottom of the back side of the cuisse and to the top of the back side of the greave to connect the pieces together. There is one (1) additional leather strap with a metal buckle screwed to the cuisse at the top edge of the center front side. The borders of each piece are edged in cloth tape except the top of the cuisse, which is edged in leather. The cuisse is painted all over with brass metallic paint, with a trompe l'oeil detail of a beer can logo on the front side in white, red, and green paint reading "Miller / HIGH LIFE / The Champagne of Beers". The greave is decorated with three (3) sets of applied cord glued horizontally across the section in double ridges, and it is painted all over with silver metallic paint.
The interiors of both pieces are finished with silver metallic paint. The interior front side of the cuisse has past repairs or stabilization using large pieces of tape and heavy glue.
Topic:
African American  Search this
Actors  Search this
Clothing and dress  Search this
Costume  Search this
Costume design  Search this
Design  Search this
Men  Search this
Musical Theatre  Search this
Credit Line:
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Black Fashion Museum founded by Lois K. Alexander-Lane
Object number:
2007.3.7.1.5
Restrictions & Rights:
Unknown - Restrictions Possible
Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
See more items in:
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Collection title:
Black Fashion Museum Collection
Classification:
Clothing-Costume
Exhibition:
Taking the Stage
On View:
NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Culture/Fourth Floor, 4 054
Data Source:
National Museum of African American History and Culture
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5be85594e-a4c8-44cc-b62c-a8c19bb31cda
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmaahc_2007.3.7.1.5