

Crossbow of Ulrich V, Count of Württemberg, 1460
German
Wood, iron, ivory, horn, whalebone, tendon
German
Wood, iron, ivory, horn, whalebone, tendon
L. 28 1/4 in. (71.7 cm)
Rogers Fund, 1904 (04.3.36)
The carved ivory decoration on the stock of this crossbow includes the date 1460 and the coats of arms of Württemberg and Savoy, referring to the owner, Count Ulrich V of Württemberg (14131480), and his wife, Princess Marguerite of Savoy. Above the trigger is a German or Yiddish benediction written in Hebrew. This inscription is a rare and early instance of Hebraic script on an item intended for a Christian patron.
This work of art also appears on 82nd & Fifth: Cracking the Code







