Ethnographic Arms & Armour
 

Go Back   Ethnographic Arms & Armour > Discussion Forums > European Armoury

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 27th February 2012, 05:33 PM   #31
weapons 27
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 462
Default

Jim
this crossbow is at me, I asked has Eric Claude to put the photographs on your site. I did not make yet party of your group!!! if you need photographs more precise, I can send some .I thank you all for the research job..
cdlt

antoine
weapons 27 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15th March 2012, 12:53 PM   #32
Matchlock
(deceased)
 
Matchlock's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking
Posts: 4,310
Default

I finally found the trap crossbow in the pic last posted, and attach an overall view. Telling from the screws and other manufacturing criteria, it is made in 16th c. style but should be classed as 19th c. The overall length is 53.5 cm.

Also attached please find the only historic illustration of a trap (war) crossbow that I have ever noticed in period artwork, of the Early Gothic period, by Villard de Honnecourt, ca. 1230, in the Ms.fr. 19093, Bibliothèque Nationale Paris.

Best,
Michael
Attached Images
  
Matchlock is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20th June 2012, 12:55 PM   #33
Matchlock
(deceased)
 
Matchlock's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking
Posts: 4,310
Default

Hi Eric,


I just came across a rather similar specimen, the tiller also made from wood:

http://www.webarcherie.com/forum/ind...lete-ancienne/

and:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=15730


That sample and yours might both be of French origin, adopting the old North Italian style!


Btw, just like the guy who originally posted this I am wondering about the use of the blunderbuss-like mouthed opening of the bolt housing, which also seems to have been equiped with a sort of bead foresight ?! (bottom attachment).

Any thoughts?


Best,
Michael
Attached Images
         

Last edited by Matchlock; 20th June 2012 at 01:43 PM.
Matchlock is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20th June 2012, 04:20 PM   #34
Matchlock
(deceased)
 
Matchlock's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking
Posts: 4,310
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Matchlock
FRom post # 26:

There are a few North Italian all-steel crossbows known retaining their original all-steel quarrels (crossbow bolts), some of these crossbows fitted with a rounded pistol-grip butt like yours, and a few others with a two- or three-link chain instead of the usual string. While the one attached, dated 1562 and signed by the maker Opera de Renaldo de Visin da Asolo (preserved in the collection of the Ducal Palace in Venice, is 66.3 cm long, various similar are much smaller and are nowadays believed to have been built especially for carrying secretly and in order to use for assassinations.

A period of origin of the first half to the mid 16th c. seems to be common to all members of this very special group of North Italian crossbows. The shape of the rear sight on the attached crossbow is identical to rear sights found on contemporary matchlock and wheellock muskets.

Michael
I am convinced that the present cord string on this small crossbow dated 1562 is a replacement of the original three-link iron 'string'.

m
Attached Images
   
Matchlock is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20th September 2019, 09:57 PM   #35
Jim MacDougald
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 8
Default Update

Is anyone still following this thread re "steel bowstring" crossbows? I have been away for years, and have some updated info and a few questions.
Jim MacDougald is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 06:15 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Posts are regarded as being copyrighted by their authors and the act of posting material is deemed to be a granting of an irrevocable nonexclusive license for display here.