Curb Bit of Johannes Philip of Lamberg, Bishop of Passau (1651-1712)

This bit belonged to Johannes Philip of Lamberg (1652 - 1712) who was Count of Lamberg, canon priest of Passau, Salzburg, and Olomouc, and imperial counselor. He became bishop of Passau and Prince of the Holy Empire in 1689, cardinal-priest in 1700, and finally cardinal of San Silvestro in Capite in 1701.


The long purchases are decorated with two collared bracke dogs holding a mitre (the bracke dog is the heraldic device the Pottwein family, to which Johannes Philip was related). Each oval comb is bearing the heraldic wolf of Passau, with a pivoting scrolling ornament terminating with an acorn (on each comb a second hole, now empty, could have received another one). The traditional lower loops are entirely covered by the embossed and chiseled great arms of Philip of Lamberg, in a heart-shape shield topped and surrounded by a cardinal's hat, a cross, a sword and a crosier.

If the twisted shanks and the acorn ornaments, traditional decorative features of South German bits, show a good level of craftsmanship, the embossed parts are rougher. The spur maker (name of the craftsman making all small equestrian material), was obviously less at ease with this technique, usually left to goldsmiths when applied on such objects. He would have been nonetheless proud of his work, as he signed it twice with his initials (F C) and the date 1702 at the back of one of the cheekpieces.


The rising canons of the mouthpiece were used with horses with excellent mouths, the tongue a bit thick. But the fact that the mouthpiece is virtually non articulated (it bends only towards the front, which cannot happen in the mouth), would, together with the strong shanks, make it more severe.