Lot 180
180
A VERY FINE GOTHIC CROSSBOW with robust composite bow covered with birch bark overlaid with paper, now incomplete, painted with a diaper pattern of numerous small light green dots on a darkened ground, retained by cords and fitted at the front with blackened iron stirrup secured by plaited leather thongs, and with a later bow-string, long slender fruitwood stock (slightly wormed) inlaid with shaped white horn plaques along the top edge, on the sides and the underneath, staghorn nut turning on a cord pivot passing through a shaped panel inlaid on each side in dark horn, two short iron side lugs, and long slightly curved iron trigger-lever struck with a mark, the stock branded on each side near the bow with the mark of the Basel Zeughaus, circa 1460-70, probably Swiss

Details
A VERY FINE GOTHIC CROSSBOW with robust composite bow covered with birch bark overlaid with paper, now incomplete, painted with a diaper pattern of numerous small light green dots on a darkened ground, retained by cords and fitted at the front with blackened iron stirrup secured by plaited leather thongs, and with a later bow-string, long slender fruitwood stock (slightly wormed) inlaid with shaped white horn plaques along the top edge, on the sides and the underneath, staghorn nut turning on a cord pivot passing through a shaped panel inlaid on each side in dark horn, two short iron side lugs, and long slightly curved iron trigger-lever struck with a mark, the stock branded on each side near the bow with the mark of the Basel Zeughaus, circa 1460-70, probably Swiss
38in.
Provenance
Basel Zeughaus
Historisches Museum, Basel until about 1900
Vischer Collection, Schloß Wildenstein until 1982
Further details
END OF SALE

Lot Essay

Cf. a very similar crossbow (in less fine condition), also from Schloß Wildenstein, sold in Galerie Fischer, Luzern, 29 June, 1990, lot 8585, and now in the Historisches Museum Basel, and another, in the Schweizerisches Landesmuseum, Zürich, illustrated in Hugo Schneider, Schweizer Waffenschmiede, p. 115

More from Arms & Armour

View All
View All