The largest private collection of mediaeval weapons in the world, worth millions of euros, is going on sale soon, thanks to a German octogenarian.

He is putting his armour, valued at between €3 and €4 million, up for auction in Brussels.

It includes not only classical armour and weaponry such as shields, helmets and swords, but also crustaceans.

“Man does not have a shell, he had to make one,” said collector Karsten Klingbeil, from Berlin, about his interest in the art of defence.

“You really can’t move in it because we have a totally different morphology from the period,” he added, explaining that when he was younger he used to try on the armour.

After making his fortune in property in West Berlin in the 1980s, Klingbeil devoted himself to his two passions – collecting and sculpting.

One of the highlights of the antique collection is an ornate piece of armour from the end of the 16th century engraved across its surface with foliage and battle scenes.

Attributed to the northern Italian craftsmen of Pompeo Della Cesa, it is estimated to be worth between €250,000 and €300,000.

“This collection is remarkable for its size and its encyclopaedic character,” Philippe Missillier, one of two experts responsible for valuing the objects, said.