Sporting crossbow and cranquin

An image of HEN.M.419-1933: Weapons/Crossbow. Bullet crossbow. Wood inlaid with horn or bone, height (stock) 64.5 cm, width (bow) 44.5 cm, circa 1600 to 1700.
HEN.M.411-1933: Cranequin. Steel with etched and partly gilt decoration, height 40.5 cm, circa 1500 to 1600. Renaissance. German. Notes: A cranequin, comprising a hook, ratchet, and handle, was used to span a crossbow in preparation for firing.

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HEN.M.419-1933: Weapons/Crossbow. Bullet crossbow. Wood inlaid with horn or bone, height (stock) 64.5 cm, width (bow) 44.5 cm, circa 1600 to 1700. HEN.M.411-1933: Cranequin. Steel with etched and partly gilt decoration, height 40.5 cm, circa 1500 to 1600. Renaissance. German. Notes: A cranequin, comprising a hook, ratchet, and handle, was used to span a crossbow in preparation for firing.

Image data

Accession Number: HEN.M.419-1933, HEN.M.411-1933
Photograph copyright © The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.
Photographer name: Image Library; Fitzwilliam Museum
Image height: 807 pixels
Image width: 1024 pixels
Processed with: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.4 (Windows)
Filesize: 494.80kB

Key words

16th Century 17th Century arrows bow and arrow cranequin cranquin crossbow firing weapons Fitz_AA German School Germany handle handled inlaid inlay Location (country of origin) ratchet Renaissance Source steel teeth transparency weapon weaponry weapons wood wooden

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            The Fitzwilliam Museum (2026)
            "Sporting crossbow and cranquin"
            Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/image/media-201858 Accessed: 2026-01-09 14:04:06

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