-
Title
-
Metal Pellet Crossbow (Kugelschnepper) by François Aubert, 1730s
-
HCA Identifier
-
Inv. 76 1 1
-
Collection Location
-
Musée de la chasse & de de la nature, 62, rue des Archives, 75003 Paris, France
-
Date
-
The Museum says that the crossbow is from 1733 or 1738, but it is more likely from 1738. The crossbow bears the coat of arms of the Grand Duke of Tuscany and was made by François Aubert. François Aubert was armorer to the Duke of Lorraine François-Étienne, who did not gain the title of Grand Duke of Tuscany until 1737. So, the crossbow is more likely to be from 1738 rather than 1733.
-
Location
-
France
-
Description
-
The steel prod of this crossbow is strongly recurved. The nocks are rolled. The photograph shows only part of the crossbow, but the Museum notes that it is made of steel and wood, so this crossbow likely has a wooden butt typical of German kugelschneppers. The Museum notes that the crossbow is decorated with the coat of arms of the Grand Duke of Tuscany as well as stylized vines (rinceaux) surrounding a boar. The Museum does not specify where on the crossbow these decorations are.
This crossbow was made by François Aubert of Luneville, France. He was an arms maker and served the Duke of Lorraine. At the time, the Duke of Lorraine was François-Étienne (anglicized to Francis-Stephen). He later became the Grand Duke of Tuscany.
-
Source
-
Musée de la chasse & de la nature
