Late Gothic Crossbows and Accouterments

[Matchlock]

A bolt quiver, early 16th c., in the Netherlands Army Museum (Legermuseum).

m

[Matchlock]

In the Legermuseum Delft, The Netherlands (ex Visser colln.).

[Matchlock]

The description.

[Matchlock]

In the Legermuseum Delft.

[Matchlock]

All in the Higgins Armory, Worcester, Massachusetts.

Best,
Michael

[Carlo Paggiarino]

Originally Posted by Matchlock

The wooden tiller completely covered by carved and part colored ivory plaques. The arms are those of Fels-Colonna, The Tyrol.
Note the mark on the tiller trigger.

Michael

Micheal,
do you need better images of the crossbow?
I may have a few!
Cheers.
Carlo

[junker]

Hi Michael,
is the book which is mentioned in the article of the soester museum already availible ?
Dirk

[Matchlock]

Originally Posted by Carlo Paggiarino

Micheal,
do you need better images of the crossbow?
I may have a few!
Cheers.
Carlo

Hi Carlo,

Please forgive my not responding any earlier but my computer was down by virus.

Yes, I would be glad to receive better images and have sent you a PM.

Thanks and best,
Michael

[Matchlock]

Originally Posted by junker

Hi Michael,
is the book which is mentioned in the article of the soester museum already availible ?
Dirk

Hi Dirk,

I cannot seem to find the article on the Soest Museum you referred to - could you please link me with the quotation?

Best,
Michael

[Matchlock]

... at Galerie Fischer, Lucerne, sold September 2010.

Please note the Gothic ornaments painted on the bow.

Best,
Michael

[Micke D]

Thank you Michael!

I have seen this one before, and must say that I was a bit sceptic about it.
But know when I see that it is a wallarmbrust I'm okay with it.

Micke Dahlström,
Stockholm Lockbow Society,
Sweden

[Matchlock]

Hi there,

I overlooked to point out that the nut on these heavy wall crossbows is not of bone as usual but of cast bronze or brass.

And Micke: thanks for agreeing!

Best,
Michael

[Swordfish]

Hallo,

the nut of this wall-crossbow is neither of bone nor of brass, but of hardwood as described in the catalgue.

Regards
Susi

[fernando]

A Portuguese cavalry crossbow, used by King Dom Sebastião (1557-1578) personal mounted guard. The brass initial S can be seen on the stock.

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[fernando]

A couple of crossbow bolts ( XV and XVI century) of many found outside the walls of São Jorge castle, in Lisbon.

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[Matchlock]

Originally Posted by fernando

A Portuguese cavalry crossbow, used by King Dom Sebastião (1557-1578) personal mounted guard. The brass initial S can be seen on the stock.

.

Thank you so much, 'Nando,

This sort of early Renaissance crossbows first of all appeared in Northern Italy, with one of the earliest being made for Maximilian I in about 1508, and the style was soon adopted in Spain in the 1530's and later in Portugal.

The one you illustrated can be safely attributed to ca. 1570. There are simillar but earlier samples preserved in the Real Armería Madrid, coming from Charles V's armory. The oldest features of these are the long 'Gothic' trigger which of course by then was just a trigger guard.


Best,
Michl

[Matchlock]

Originally Posted by fernando

A couple of crossbow bolts ( XV and XVI century) of many found outside the walls of São Jorge castle, in Lisbon.

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It's interesting to see how similar these bolt tips were made all over the Western world, from the Roman to the Renaissance period, over 2,000 years.

Best,
Michl

[Matchlock]

Preserved at Schloß Runkelstein near Bozen, South Tyrol.

Best,
Michael

[Matchlock]

Enjoy.

m

[Matchlock]

More.

m

[Matchlock]

More.

m

[Matchlock]

More.

[Matchlock]

The rest.

Best,
Michael

[Matchlock]

I owe these images to my friend and our member Alexander (Spiridonov) - thank you you much, Alexander!

Please note the unique cross section photos of the various glued layers on the inside of a Gothic composite bow and the special stamped pattern on the bow surface!

Best,
Michael

[Matchlock]

An unusually fine Tyrolean example offered by Peter Finer in 2009.

The zooms enable perfect studies of the variety of Gothic patterns that the bow covering is stamped with!

m

[Matchlock]

The rest.

[fernando]

Magnificent !!!

[Matchlock]

Thank you, 'Nando!

The zooms were sent to me by Peter just to inform me.

Best,
Michl

[Matchlock]

Some period artwork, a South German woodcut of 1513.

Best,
Michael

[fernando]

A few images of early crossbows.

1 - Hunting with a XII century crossbow. The bow was already of the composite type. The stock is very short, so that the shooter had to extend his arm to aim. At the Lisbon National Archives.
2 - Crossbowman at rest. First half XVI century. At the National Museum of Antique Art.
3 - No ID.
4 - No ID.
5 - A Portuguese crossbowman. One of the famous bronzes of Benin(Dahomey). Mid XV century. 40 cms. high. The care taken by the artist in the details is notable, to the extent of clearly showing the "armatoste" (arming device) hanging from from the soldier's waist.
6 - "Caça de boi" (hunting with ox). So called because the hunter hides behind a structure covered with an ox skin, to easier approach the game. A tile panel in the São Vicente de Fora Monastery. First half XVIII century.

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