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European Decorated Crossbow

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:750.00 USD
European Decorated Crossbow
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European Decorated Crossbow, possibly German or Italian, with wood body and forged steel bow. Carved wood body is about 1'' thick with iron hook and trigger pieces. Body is carved with pinwheel decorations and inlaid with engraved bone diamonds. Butt of the stock is a thicker wood, around 2'' at the widest part, that is inlaid with bone decorations and bone buttplate. Designs are of small eyes, floral flourishes, curved lines, and small round dots. There is a shield-shaped inlay that could be a family crest on one side, and an oval inlay featuring a bearded nobleman. The iron bow is nicely worked on the ends with folded hooks for the bow string. Bowstring is multiple strands of small twisted rope that are bound together with rope wrapping and two bone cord separators. There is a leather cup for the bolt pocket. An iron two-pronged sight is attached at the front. Steel bow is held into the wood with twisted rope wrappings. Possibly ca. 17th Century. Length is 32''; bow is 28.5'' long. Condition is good, with two large cracks in the wood frame around the bow attachment area, and there are some modern screws inserted to hold the wood together. Trigger mechanism does not appear to function. There is a round steel ferrule with a forged rivet at the base where the buttstock is attached, with the addition of a modern screw on top. Inlays in the buttstock are in very good condition with some minor losses to a couple of the small roundels. Est.: $1,500-$2,500. (Antique)