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Title
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A very fine South German sporting crossbow (Halbe Rüstung), dated 1587
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Collection Location
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London, United Kingdom
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Date
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1587
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Location
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Southern Germany
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Description
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A 16th-century German sporting crossbow that is dated to the year 1587. Its prod is made of steel and features an ornate decoration in a grid style with small painted flowers across the intersections of the grid. The prod is secured to the stock with a bridle made of twisted cord. Along the prod and upper half of the stock are twelve green woollen pompoms. The shape of the stock is bulbous towards its middle (around the nut) and tapers towards the butt of the stock, with much of its surface veneered in staghorn. The crossbow is also inlaid with staghorn at its sides, depicting scenes of a man hunting in the woods in front of a castle with hounds, multiple woodland creatures and intricate floral designs throughout the scene. The decorations also showcase a coat of arms from a person in the Princes Salm family (likely belonging to the original owner of the crossbow), imagery of a young couple, a scene depicting a serpent being killed by St. Michael, and a scene of a fencing dual depicting Joachim Meyer, a 16th century German fencer and author from his book the Art of Combat, uncommon and unusual detail. Further imagery includes scroll decorations that frame the scenes, such as the pair of sea monsters, the Roman goddess Ceres (the goddess of agriculture and fertility), and the date engraved around the opening for the cocking pin of the crossbow. The crossbow features a rolling nut mechanism made of bone with a horn bolt clip above the nut. Behind the bolt clip is an adjustable gilded copper back-sight and a transverse pin made of iron. On the crossbow, there is a gilded copper plate with an engraved German phrase ‘ehrlich zu leben und selig zu sterben’ that translates as “to live honestly, to die in blessedness”. There is also a gilded copper plaque on both the top side and the butt of the stock that was repaired during the time of its original use. The trigger of the crossbow is made of iron and is wrapped in leather, showing some minor damage. There are signs of restoration on the crossbow, possibly from the 17th century, and it is speculated to have improved upon parts of the crossbow, including the woollen pompoms, the bolt clip, the gilded copper fittings, and a repaint of the prod.
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Source
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Olympia Auctions
