A RARE TARTAR LACQUERED WOODEN BOW

CRIMEA, 17TH CENTURY

Details

A RARE TARTAR LACQUERED WOODEN BOW
CRIMEA, 17TH CENTURY
Of curved form, the ends with panels of bone at either end, with shagreen covering at centre and paired leather straps above and below, the rest with gold geometric lacquer decoration on red ground, string with leather attachments at centre and either end, areas of rubbing to the lacquer decoration
43½in. (110.6cm.) long

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Lot Essay

This Crimean bow has a number of features that differentiate it from the more common Ottoman examples. It is somewhat straighter in shape, and about 20cm. longer. It also has additional blocks of bone at either end. The circular leather binding on the string is another distinctive feature. Similar bows exist in various Türekenbeute collections. See for instance a group in Dresden (Holger Schuckelt, Die Türckische Cammer, exhibition catalogue, Dresden, 2010, nos.170, 221 and 222, pp.196 and 225, pp. 326 and 346). The drawing on cat.no.170 in Dresden is so similar to ours that it is tempting to suggest that they were decorated by the same craftsman.

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