Late Gothic Crossbows and Accouterments

David Jaumann · 16th March 2014, 07:35 PM

The back section of the gunarrow was made completely round - perfect to fit into a gun barrel. There is no doubt, that it has been constructed for a gun.

David Jaumann · 16th March 2014, 07:45 PM

Here you can see a picture of the frontside of the wallarmbrust-prod. It is slightely damaged, so you can perfectely see the different horn layers.
On two other pictures you can quite the knot of the string (gotische Sehne).

David Jaumann · 16th March 2014, 08:17 PM

Here some pictures of crossbow bolts exposed in the Kaiserburg Museum. It seems like the back sections of the bolts were thicker at first and then cut thinner (by the crossbowmen?) in order to fit into the nuts of the crossbows.

So there is the question I´m wondering about: Is there evidence that there the distances bethween the two "nutfingers" were standardised in one area or at least at one town? Does someone know about the distance bethween the nutfingers of the crossbows in Hermannsstadt?

Thank you in advance!

Best wishes,
David

Matchlock · 16th March 2014, 08:31 PM

Hi David,

I cannot tell you how glad I was to see these great images of the gun arrow and the other items!

Thank you so much, and don't worry about the quality of the photos; I am very familiar with the horribly dim light conditions in the Nuremberg museum displays both in the Kaiserburg (Imperial Castle) and the GNM, and I think you did a fantastic job!

Thanks also for confirming that it actually was a gun arrow! As I wrote, a friend of mine and me spied this important item in the drawer of the reserve collection at the GNM about 15 years ago at a meeting of the Gesellschaft für Waffen- und Kostümkunde; at that time, the rear end still retained a small portion of a cord binding which is now sadly gone!

I will ask my experienced friend Ralf, who collects Gothic crossbows and accouterments, about your query concerning the 'nutfingers'. Please allow one or two weeks; as a consequence of his profession, he has to travel a lot, and his spare time is precious.

Diy you take photos of the crossbows in the museum of Sibiu/Hermannstadt, Romania? The local female curator did not allow me to do so because she was still working for her dissertation on those cossbows about three years ago.

With all my very best wishes,
Michael

Micke D · 17th March 2014, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Another, earlier, ca. 1525, with finely engraved bone handle

Hello again Michael!

On what do you date the cranequin in post #248 to around 1525?
To me it looks more be a late 15th century cranequin because I think the string hooks and the small housing are more 15th than 16th century in design.
It's only the nicely ingraved bone/horn handle that I think is 16th c, but that could be a 16th replacement.

I searched their website but could not find any other photos of it, do you know if there are more photos of it? I would need a photo of the bottom of the housing to date it more exactly.

Micke D · 17th March 2014, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Is there evidence that there the distances bethween the two "nutfingers" were standardised in one area or at least at one town? Does someone know about the distance bethween the nutfingers of the crossbows in Hermannsstadt?

Hi David!

I 'think' at least towns, maybe even regions, must have had some standards for a lot of military stuff including distance between nut fingers.
I think that Josef Alm mentions this in his book, someone in a 15th c German town gets an order to trim crossbow bolts so they fit between nut fingers.

The Hermannstadt crossbows are a very interesting group of crossbows as they are said to all be an old Zeughaus inventory, and if that's correct, they will be military weapons and should probably have the same distance between the nut fingers.

Matchlock · 17th March 2014, 04:00 PM

Hi Micke D,

You are right, of course,

That cranequin sold at Nagel auctions in Stuttgart might be as early as ca. 1490-1500. I actually based my dating on the bone handle, and my policy has always been to choose a later date rather than one too early. Decades of experience have shown that certain early criteria have often been found on rather late items, so as a principle I have been looking for the latest, the newest criterion on any piece.

Sadly Nagel had only this one image on their site, and the sale is over.

Best,
Michael

16th March 2014, 08:17 PM	#3
David Jaumann Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 35	Here some pictures of crossbow bolts exposed in the Kaiserburg Museum. It seems like the back sections of the bolts were thicker at first and then cut thinner (by the crossbowmen?) in order to fit into the nuts of the crossbows. So there is the question I´m wondering about: Is there evidence that there the distances bethween the two "nutfingers" were standardised in one area or at least at one town? Does someone know about the distance bethween the nutfingers of the crossbows in Hermannsstadt? Thank you in advance! Best wishes, David Attached Images

16th March 2014, 08:31 PM	#4
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Hi David, I cannot tell you how glad I was to see these great images of the gun arrow and the other items! Thank you so much, and don't worry about the quality of the photos; I am very familiar with the horribly dim light conditions in the Nuremberg museum displays both in the Kaiserburg (Imperial Castle) and the GNM, and I think you did a fantastic job! Thanks also for confirming that it actually was a gun arrow! As I wrote, a friend of mine and me spied this important item in the drawer of the reserve collection at the GNM about 15 years ago at a meeting of the Gesellschaft für Waffen- und Kostümkunde; at that time, the rear end still retained a small portion of a cord binding which is now sadly gone! I will ask my experienced friend Ralf, who collects Gothic crossbows and accouterments, about your query concerning the 'nutfingers'. Please allow one or two weeks; as a consequence of his profession, he has to travel a lot, and his spare time is precious. Diy you take photos of the crossbows in the museum of Sibiu/Hermannstadt, Romania? The local female curator did not allow me to do so because she was still working for her dissertation on those cossbows about three years ago. With all my very best wishes, Michael Last edited by Matchlock; 17th March 2014 at 11:43 AM.

16th March 2014, 07:35 PM	#1
David Jaumann Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 35	The back section of the gunarrow was made completely round - perfect to fit into a gun barrel. There is no doubt, that it has been constructed for a gun.

16th March 2014, 07:45 PM	#2
David Jaumann Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 35	Here you can see a picture of the frontside of the wallarmbrust-prod. It is slightely damaged, so you can perfectely see the different horn layers. On two other pictures you can quite the knot of the string (gotische Sehne). Attached Images

17th March 2014, 04:00 PM	#7
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Hi Micke D, You are right, of course, That cranequin sold at Nagel auctions in Stuttgart might be as early as ca. 1490-1500. I actually based my dating on the bone handle, and my policy has always been to choose a later date rather than one too early. Decades of experience have shown that certain early criteria have often been found on rather late items, so as a principle I have been looking for the latest, the newest criterion on any piece. Sadly Nagel had only this one image on their site, and the sale is over. Best, Michael