Late Gothic Crossbows and Accouterments

Matchlock · 1st December 2008, 01:15 PM

Finally here is the image of the smith's mark on the tiller trigger.

Michael

Matchlock · 7th December 2008, 01:42 PM

Sold at auction two years ago, bearing an old inventory label from the famos Vienna Collection of Albert Figdor, early 20th century.

Of beechwood. Both the obsolete 14th century form of the crossbow illustrated on the lid and that of the tinned iron mounts denote that the casket was actually made at least some 100 years earlier than the date 1524 suggests. Furthermore, close inspection proves that all the painting is at the same level, only the date 1524 - showing the Gothic form the numeral 4 - consists of a much thicker layer than the rest.

So this fine object should be referred to as a casket for special crossbow bolts (not the common quarrels), and made in the early 15th century, probably as a prize for the best aiming crossbowman and containing the bolts that he won the title with. It seems to have been dated 1524 some 100 years later - or may be exactly 100 years later, possibly in remembrance of the founding of a crossbowmen's guild.

Michael

Matchlock · 7th December 2008, 01:53 PM

Preserved at the City museum of Cologne, Germany.

In the first picture, the bow is of course inversed; this had been corrected by the time the second picture was taken.

The open curve of the composite bow is due to not having had a string attached for hundreds of years.

The detached bow of a huge wall crossbow also at the Cologne museum.

Michael

Matchlock · 15th February 2009, 08:54 PM

The wooden core is covered with pig skin, the mouth of the quiver is leather covered, the original leather lid is now missing on almost all surviving samples.

Michael

Matchlock · 15th February 2009, 08:55 PM

One more detail.

Matchlock · 25th February 2009, 06:42 PM

Two line drawings, after 1505, from Martin Löffelholz's Nuremberg scrapbook started in 1505. They picture devices to cut slightly curved grooves into cossbow quarrel hafts for insetting wooden or leather flights/fletches to give them a more accurate ballistic spin as they went.

500 year old machine based mass production.

Michael

Matchlock · 18th March 2009, 09:38 PM

The first dated 1460, made for Duke Ulrich V of Württemberg, Southern Germany.

Michael

Glaive203 · 1st December 2012, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matchlock

Preserved at the City museum of Cologne, Germany.

In the first picture, the bow is of course inversed; this had been corrected by the time the second picture was taken.

The open curve of the composite bow is due to not having had a string attached for hundreds of years.

The detached bow of a huge wall crossbow also at the Cologne museum.

Michael

This is a false statement. Any horn bow or horn lath pulls forward like that when unstrung, even completely new ones.

fernando · 2nd December 2012, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glaive203

... This is a false statement...

What a vivid way to make your point, Glaive203. Remarkably over an observation posted four years ago.

David Jaumann · 18th January 2013, 02:16 PM

Hello together!

It has been a while since I posted the last time!
I have been to Nuremberg and I took the promised pictures of the crossbows exposed in the "Germanisches Nationalmuseum".

The first crossbow was made in about 1475. The bow seems to be strong (500kg of drawweight is possible). Therefore I was quite astonished that the trigger is so short, even though the lock is a one-axle lock mechanism. How is it possible to pull the trigger without much effort? It must be much easyer to pull the long trigger of a 14th or early 15th century crossbow with a weaker prod, so were the crossbowmakers during the late 15th century able to construct more efficient one axle-lock mechanisms than before?

The second late 15th century crossbow is the one with the obsolete stong reflex horn and sinew prod and the weird trigger. I have had an exact look at it and it seems to me that the bow and the trigger were not originaly attached to the stock. The prod seems to be to broad for the stock and the belly is too round to fit exactelly. A bow with theses dimensions must have a draw weight of much more than 500kgs, but the stock seems to be very thin and fragile (much thinner than the stock of the first crossbow). The stock has several quite dark horn inlays that look simular to the inlays shown in "Die Hornbogenarmbrust" (Abb. 91). The only inlay with a different colour is on the lower side where the unusual trigger is located. I have the impression that the original horn inlay was removed in order to fit in the seccond trigger. What do you think?

Best wishes,
David

David Jaumann · 18th January 2013, 02:44 PM

I´m sorry... something with reducing the sice of the pictures didn´t work! I will post the pictures as soon as I have a soluion!

fernando · 18th January 2013, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Jaumann

I´m sorry... something with reducing the sice of the pictures didn´t work! I will post the pictures as soon as I have a soluion!

If you wish, you may send them to me for resizing and posting, David

fernando@vikingsword.com

1st December 2008, 01:15 PM	#1
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Finally here is the image of the smith's mark on the tiller trigger. Michael Attached Images

7th December 2008, 01:42 PM	#2
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	A unique casket for crossbow bolts, ca. 1420, bearing the later date 1524 Sold at auction two years ago, bearing an old inventory label from the famos Vienna Collection of Albert Figdor, early 20th century. Of beechwood. Both the obsolete 14th century form of the crossbow illustrated on the lid and that of the tinned iron mounts denote that the casket was actually made at least some 100 years earlier than the date 1524 suggests. Furthermore, close inspection proves that all the painting is at the same level, only the date 1524 - showing the Gothic form the numeral 4 - consists of a much thicker layer than the rest. So this fine object should be referred to as a casket for special crossbow bolts (not the common quarrels), and made in the early 15th century, probably as a prize for the best aiming crossbowman and containing the bolts that he won the title with. It seems to have been dated 1524 some 100 years later - or may be exactly 100 years later, possibly in remembrance of the founding of a crossbowmen's guild. Michael Attached Images

7th December 2008, 01:53 PM	#3
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Probably the earliest Gothic crossbow in existence, ca. 1350 Preserved at the City museum of Cologne, Germany. In the first picture, the bow is of course inversed; this had been corrected by the time the second picture was taken. The open curve of the composite bow is due to not having had a string attached for hundreds of years. The detached bow of a huge wall crossbow also at the Cologne museum. Michael Attached Images

15th February 2009, 08:54 PM	#4
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Very rare 500 year old quivers for crossbow bolts/quarrels The wooden core is covered with pig skin, the mouth of the quiver is leather covered, the original leather lid is now missing on almost all surviving samples. Michael Attached Images

15th February 2009, 08:55 PM	#5
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	One more detail. Attached Images

25th February 2009, 06:42 PM	#6
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	How Curved grooves for Wooden or Leather Fletches Were Cut Into Gothic Quarrel Hafts Two line drawings, after 1505, from Martin Löffelholz's Nuremberg scrapbook started in 1505. They picture devices to cut slightly curved grooves into cossbow quarrel hafts for insetting wooden or leather flights/fletches to give them a more accurate ballistic spin as they went. 500 year old machine based mass production. Michael Attached Images

18th March 2009, 09:38 PM	#7
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	At the Met, N.Y. The first dated 1460, made for Duke Ulrich V of Württemberg, Southern Germany. Michael Attached Images

18th January 2013, 02:16 PM	#10
David Jaumann Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 35	Hello together! It has been a while since I posted the last time! I have been to Nuremberg and I took the promised pictures of the crossbows exposed in the "Germanisches Nationalmuseum". The first crossbow was made in about 1475. The bow seems to be strong (500kg of drawweight is possible). Therefore I was quite astonished that the trigger is so short, even though the lock is a one-axle lock mechanism. How is it possible to pull the trigger without much effort? It must be much easyer to pull the long trigger of a 14th or early 15th century crossbow with a weaker prod, so were the crossbowmakers during the late 15th century able to construct more efficient one axle-lock mechanisms than before? The second late 15th century crossbow is the one with the obsolete stong reflex horn and sinew prod and the weird trigger. I have had an exact look at it and it seems to me that the bow and the trigger were not originaly attached to the stock. The prod seems to be to broad for the stock and the belly is too round to fit exactelly. A bow with theses dimensions must have a draw weight of much more than 500kgs, but the stock seems to be very thin and fragile (much thinner than the stock of the first crossbow). The stock has several quite dark horn inlays that look simular to the inlays shown in "Die Hornbogenarmbrust" (Abb. 91). The only inlay with a different colour is on the lower side where the unusual trigger is located. I have the impression that the original horn inlay was removed in order to fit in the seccond trigger. What do you think? Best wishes, David

18th January 2013, 02:44 PM	#11
David Jaumann Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 35	I´m sorry... something with reducing the sice of the pictures didn´t work! I will post the pictures as soon as I have a soluion!