Bracers in the early 20th century?

[Tommy Gun Jack]

Hello all,

I hope this is the proper place to ask this question. I was just watching the modern re-make of the Mummy with Brendan Frazer, and I noticed that he is wearing a single bracer on his right wrist. A basic google search of his character's name "Rick O'Connell" will produce images of said bracer.

Now there are two things I've learned from my years of re-enacting different periods.

1) Bracers were not used nearly as much as everybody seems to think. Throughout the middle ages, you usually only see bracers in the form of a single unit on an archer's bow hand. Greek hoplites did not use bracers as is commonly depicted in our day.

2) Always take what Hollywood tells you with a grain of salt.

I have seen other modern depictions of adventurers wearing a bracer on one or both wrists, but I haven't seen any period photographs showing this. Does anybody know if bracers were used while shooting in the 1930s or prior? And if so, why? A bracer may stop the bowstring from slapping the archer's wrist when he looses his arrow, but how does it help when shooting a pistol or rifle? and if they were used, would it be a buckle and strap closure or would it be laced up?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Edward]

I'd be interested in an answer to your questions myself.

Of course, in the film it's for purely dramatic purposes: as I recall, at some point he removes it to show a mystery tattoo that he can't remember getting, which has some significance to the plot.