Curb Bit
bit, German or Netherlandish; bosses, German
Not on view
According to contemporary equestrian manuals, this mouthpiece was designed for a horse good on the bit, with a good mouth but the tongue a bit thick. The scatches, (flattened triangular elements composing this mouthpiece), were slightly stronger in their effect and more resistant than the traditional conical canons also used at the time.
The cheekpieces are entirely adorned with chiseled and stamped decoration, partly gilded, also found on other mid-17th century Netherlandish and German equestrian material such as spurs.
The two bosses of cast copper alloy, gilded and pierced with cherubs heads and chimeras' busts, are riveted to an iron circular disc, itself attached to the cheekpieces. This type of decoration is found on many German works of art around 1600. However, they probably do not originally belong to this bit.
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