Balrog Armor?

[Lord Halsar]

Quite recently, I felt the urge to search Gandalf's name in Google Image. At first, I thought it nothing special, just a few pictures of Ian McKellen in his white attire. But this particular piece of artwork caught my I and I looked at it more closely.GandalfFallsWithTheBalrog.jpg
At first I thought it nothing special, just another picture of Gandalf's battle with the demon, until something caught my eye. Look closely at the Balrog's chest and right-arm and you'll notice the plated armor. Would the Balrog(s) actually have armor of any sort, or would their likely thick-hide be enough to defend them against most attacks?

[Nazgûl-king]

An interesting thought, perhaps the Balrogs in the earlier ages had armor, though I would think that their skin would be tough enough. Perhaps they could have had tough skin, plus armor to make them even harder to beat.

[Lord Gothmog]

I have looked into this question and found some answers for you.

BoLT II: Fall of Gondolin/Glorfindel v Balrog

The ardour of Glorfindel drave that Balrog from point to point, and his mail fended him from its whip and claw. Now had he beaten a heavy swinge upon its iron helm, now hewn off the creature's whip-arm at the elbow. Then sprang the Balrog in the torment of his pain and fear full at Glorfindel, who stabbed like a dart of a snake; but he found only a shoulder, and was grappled, and they swayed to a fall upon the crag-top. Then Glorfindel's left hand sought a dirk, and this he thrust up that it pierced the Balrog's belly nigh his own face (for that demon was double his stature); and it shrieked, and fell backwards from the rock, and falling clutched Glorfindel's yellow locks beneath his cap, and those twain fell into the abyss.

Also

From BoLT II the Commentary on The Fall of Gondolin.
CT says the following:

The Balrogs are 'demons of power' (p. 181); they are capable of pain and fear (p. 194); they are attired in iron armour (pp. 181, 194), and they have whips of flame (a character they never lost) and claws of steel (pp. 169, 179).

This would certainly allow for an artist to put such armour in a picture. However, I don't know if there is any evidence for the armour to have been retained as the Balrogs became more powerful and less numerous in the later writings. (still have a book or two to check )

[Lord Halsar]

And yet despite this, most of the artwork that I have seen (including those of Glorfindel's battle) have shown the Balrogs with niether helm nor plate, only weapons and muscle.
I guess they skipped a number of details in their studies before making them.

[Lord Gothmog]

I have looked through HoME 10, 11 and 12 which have later writings and so far I have found no futher reference to amour for Balrogs. It may be that most of the images use later views which do not mention either the 'Claws of Steel' or 'Iron Amour'.

I know that my own image of the Balrog (from when I first read LotR) was powerful, demonic and simply covered by shadow. So armour is the last thing I would expect

[Imperica]

Walking the line of off-topic and on; John Howe the artist of that illustration is one of my favorite Middle-Earth artists.

[Alfirin]

Thats odd, I've always imagined Balrogs with armor if for no other reson than that they would need to be wearing something if for no other resan that that they would need somewhere to keep thier weapons (not only flaming whips, but also the swords shields and axes that they are said to have used at times) when they weren't using them.
On a slight veering I had have a question. We know that the balrogs whips burn with flames but waht about the swords and axes. For some reason I keep imagin them burning as well.

[Gwathagor]

Originally Posted by Lord Gothmog

I have looked into this question and found some answers for you.

BoLT II: Fall of Gondolin/Glorfindel v Balrog

Also

From BoLT II the Commentary on The Fall of Gondolin.
CT says the following:

This would certainly allow for an artist to put such armour in a picture. However, I don't know if there is any evidence for the armour to have been retained as the Balrogs became more powerful and less numerous in the later writings. (still have a book or two to check )

Wow. I would have thought that balrogs wouldn't have worn armor. Happy to be wrong. That's cool.