France(?) / c. 1480–1500
Cranequin
Cranequin
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Cranequin as arms and armor (France(?) · c. 1480–1500).
WHY IT’S INTERESTING
The mark, made of inlaid copper, is currently unidentified.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this arms and armor as steel and brass; incised decoration; pierced traceried Gothic windows.
The museum's collection notes: Bows made of composite materials were developed during the 1400s. They were immensely powerful and could be spanned only with the aid of a winder called a cranequin like the one seen here.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtCranequinOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.