Jeff De Boer is a Canadian artist and jeweler who makes armor that would be the highlight of any museum collection. They are not only masterfully crafted but are also unique in the sense that they are not meant for humans but for mice and cats.
De Boer was drawn to antiques and armor at a young age after checking out an armor collection at a local museum. Then, as a teenager, he managed to craft a full suit of armor while working in his father’s metal shop. And while he would go on to major in jewelry, his original passion never left his side.
Later in life, De Boer decided to see if there was a way to incorporate armor into his profession. It started with making miniature armor, but that never felt right to him. After that, he came to an idea to make armor for a mouse, and it was at that point that he knew he had found his life’s call.
“I always joke that when I made the first suit of mouse armor, in a millisecond, I also became the greatest mouse armorer in the history of mankind,” de Boer said in a chat with National Geographic.
De Boer’s first armor was a huge hit, which inspired them to continue making them while also introducing armor designs for cats. According to the artist, he has made more than 500 armor suits since the first one and intends to keep adding to that number. However, he points out that they are not made for wearing and serve only as a showpiece and something to be admired. And they are surely worthy of admiration, as you can see in some examples of his works below.
