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Title
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Spanish Hunting Crossbow, mid-16th Century
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Collection Location
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Museum of the Company of Old Crossbowmen of Visé (Musée de la Compagnie des Anciens Arbalétriers Visétois), Rue Haute 46, 4600 Visé, Belgium
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Date
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mid-16th century
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Location
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Valencia, Spain
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Description
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This crossbow has a metal prod which connects to the stock with bow irons. The stock is wooden and has a bolt groove. The nut is wooden, but it is not original. The original nut was probably made of bone. The trigger is a lever made of iron. The crossbow is mostly plain with a few notable exceptions. The stock ends in a brass pommel. There is some decorative metal inlay on the stock, near where the bowstring lies across the stock. The prod of the crossbow has the most notable decoration.
On the side of the prod, there are the words “IOAN BIANCO” and “EM VALENCIA.” On different parts of the prod, there are eight little images stamped into the metal. These images depict the Agnus Dei symbol, a Roman Catholic symbol meaning “Lamb of God.” This image contains a lamb with a flag and represents the sacrifice of Jesus.
On the topside of the prod, there is a Latin transcription which translates to the phrase, “it is not easy to hit the centre.”
The Museum notes that the Royal Armory of Madrid holds several similar crossbows made by Juan Bianco, both the Younger and the Elder. Those crossbows date to the mid-16th century. These crossbow makers worked for the Spanish aristocracy during the reigns of Charles V and Phillip II.
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Source
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Information and images courtesy of the Museum of the Royal Company of Old Crossbowmen of Visé (Musée de la Compagnie Royale des Anciens Arbalétriers Visétois), through their publication "Saint Georges & l'arbalète," or "Saint George & the Crossbow." Note that this source references the Royal Armory of Madrid.
Bibliography
Nihon, Jean-Pol. "Première partie: L'arbalète." In Saint Georges & l'arbalète, edited by Jean-Pol Nihon, 5-50. Visé: Compagnie des Anciens Arbalétriers Visétois, 2010.
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Crossbow Top Measurements
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Width (length of prod): 55 cm
Weight: 2.8 kg
