Crossbow, late 16th century (steel, wood, cord, silk, horn, engraved & inlaid)

Length: 69 cm Length: 65.4 cm, span of bow Crossbow, the bow of steel with loop for suspension above; it is bound to the stock with plaited cord decorated with the remains of silk tassels of dark blue or green; bow-string of twisted cord. Bulky stock or tiller of light wood, resembling pear-wood, the sides inlaid with mother-of-pearl and veneered on the upper and undersides with antler, rather crudely engraved with figures of crossbowmen: one shooting at a popinjay, another spanning a crossbow with a cranequin, and on the sides are inlaid figures shooting at ground game; upon the butt-plate is the figure of a lady seated, and there are numerous masks, heads and bands of ornament. The fore-sight does not permit of transverse movement, and there is a hinged aperture-backsight of steel which can be adjusted both vertically and horizontally; horn nut over which a spring of horn is fitted– the use of this was to prevent the bow-string slipping off the quarrel when it was strung; steel pin for the claw of the cranequin, hinged trigger, safety-catch and trigger-guard.