[Regia-NA] Re: [SCA-AS] Links: Historical Crossbows and Siege
Engines.
rmhowe
MMagnusM at bellsouth.net
Thu Mar 18 06:20:09 EST 2004
This is in reply to a posting about a posting on crossbow
websites and crossbow article/book resources being too
eurocentric. Perhaps it could be used by more than one list.
My reply begins:
You seem to be missing quite a few books from your historical stuff.
Not everything is entered on my machine, I own 20 times at least
what is... however this is a good start. I've beem collecting
stuff on archery and crossbows and siege engines for about 35+
years now. I started in the 1960's and my mentor was O.K. Smathers
of Brevard, NC who won the three time World Championship for the
French Internationale Tir d'Arc or FITA pre it becoming an Olympic
Sport in the early 1970's when he sat on the Olympic Board for it.
I wasn't a first rater, but I took the instructor's course of the
NAA and shot NFAA courses as well. I taught a lot. My average
score was only 278 of 300 and the guys I shot against did the upper
290's at informal Thursday nite shoots. One other became the American
Indoor Barebow Champion shooting 899 out of 900 that year. The next
year there were two perfect 900's. He usually shot without any
fletching and could pick his target to about an eighth of an inch
getting six arrow groups at sixty feet about the size of a half dollar
then. A machinist by trade. He was picking his mark at 1/8" spacing.
He could also hold on target at full draw for up to two minutes.
You really ought to begin with Hero(n) of Alexandria and his works
on siege engines. Right now I'm not quite sure where mine is.
Add Vitruvius's Ten books of Architecture which in a newer $30 version
includes scaled drawings of a scorpion and a ballista as to scales of
projectiles. I haven't even had time to unbag the newer more current
one than the one sold by Dover with no, or few illustrations.
The current edition is illustrated profusely, from Cambridge, by
Rowland and Howe, my copy ran me $32. Not so much on siege engines
in particular but a lot on general Roman and Greek architecture
and mechanical mechanisms. Book Ten is devoted to engines of war.
There are a few big pages on siege engines based measurement wise
on the size of the tubing the hair or sinew springs pass through.
This is part of a classic pair:
Marsden, Eric William: Greek and Roman Artillery: Technical Treatises.
Hardcover. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1999, Diagrams, Tables,
Plates, dj, 277pp. With 14 pages of plates. A translation of five Greek
treatises on applied mechanics and the relation to artillery.
Technical analysis, contains five principal treatises which may be
regarded as a unique group in the field of ancient applied mechanics.
Author traces in considerable detail mechanical progress in the
construction of Greek & Roman artillery.
and includes:
Marsden, E. W.: Greek and Roman Artillery : Historical Development;
Oxford University Press & Sandpiper Books, 1999 Cloth. New/Dust Wrapper.
Reprint. 8vo - over 7 3/4 "-9 3/4 " tall, xix + 218 pages + 14 b/w
plates + ii.$61.95 the pair was my cost.
P.G.E. Schramm's die Antique Geschutzen von Saalzburg, 1920. I have it.
Baatz has an english language page up on the web concerning Schramm's
work. He was a German officer who reproduced many of the Roman siege
engines between the two wars. The larger ones were destroyed during
WWII but the smaller ones still exist at the Saalzburg Roman Fortress
on the Limes (Germany's equivalent of Hadrian's Wall) where Baatz now
works and writes German archaeological books.
One of Baatz's many articles:
Baatz, Dietwulf: "Recent Finds of Ancient Artillery" (Roman); _Britannia
9_, 1978.pp.1-17, plates I-VI, plus 12 in-text figures.
Figure 1 is a measured multi-viewed drawing of an arrow-shooter
(catapulta) of Vitruvius, designed for shooting 3’ arrows.
Figure 2 is a Hatra Ballista, metal parts of the frame, drawn to scale.
Figure 3 is its metal corner fittings.
Figures 4 and 5 are its metal washer and bronze corner plate, also to scale.
Figure 6 is its bronze roller with iron axle.
Figure 7 is the Hatra Ballista reconstruction (tentative).
Figure 8 is the Orçova field frame of a catapult (measured),
Figure 9 is the arched strut of same.
Figure 10 is medieval copies of ancient designs for Heron’s
Cheiroballistra.
Figure 11 is the drawn reconstruction of same.
Figure 12 is the Gornea field frame of a Manuballista.
The plates show various parts in their find spots.
_Die Armbrust_ by Egon Harmuth of Austria is considered the
**successor** to Payne-Gallwey but it is written in German and out
of print. Fortunately I bought it from Austria after seeing one
at Pennsic 1986. Not so easy to find now. Try http://www.ZVAB.com/
which is the German antiquarian net.
Some of the early issues of the Military History: Past and Present
out of England has articles specifically on archers and early
Roman siege engines. I once bought issues #1-42 and was extremely
pleased. Embleton was both writing and illustrating many of the
articles then. He was great. The Medieval Archer was not forgotten.
The ancient gastrophetes - Means belly-bow of the Greeks.
In Greece and Rome at War by Peter Connolly on page 78-9 amongst others
like the Diagram Group book on Weapons.
Payne-Gallwey's _The Crossbow_ has more than one edition - one of
which has the siege engines and a treatise on the turkish bow I
believe. When I was a teenager forty years ago and badly wanted
it it cost $50 on order - more than a week's work, and now Dover
has printed it at a comparable less than forth the cost. Go figure.
His siege engines book is merely a rearrangement of the above and
not worth pursuing. I have borrowed it and compared it to my two
different P-G's with and without.
The Chinese/Japanese/Annamese/Africans have had crossbows as well
as siege engines. There are some excellent overviews available from
http://www.osprey-publishing.co.uk/ on all manner of siege engines and
crossbows in many of the Osprey books. [I have about 150 or so.]
Here's one:
Medieval Siege Weapons (1): Western Europe Ad 585-1385 (New Vanguard) by
Doctor David Nicolle, Sam Thompson (Illustrator)
There is also a second volume, two on Chinese siege weapons,
and at lest one on Roman and Greek in the Osprey series of books.
I also have Selby on Chinese Archery, but there was a much more
expensive book on Chinese Weapons and Warfare that was in print
ten or so years ago depicting the items by era in archaeological
settings. This included both the crossbows and their locks and bolts.
Needham's huge encyclopedia on Chinese technology is supposed
to cover archery and siege engines of all periods. I have yet
to chase that dog.
Issue 149 of Tournaments Illuminated (the current issue, Winter
2004) has an excellent article in it on making an armourer's
clamp on rear sight which adjusts for both distance and windage.
Clamps of this type may be ordered from micromark.com. So can
some of the metal to solder to them. All Brass. The author states
that fixed sights are allowed, but until you figure your distances
this makes an excellent short term practice sight. Having a 320
pound windlassed crossbow myself that shoots so rapidly we can
barely see a glimpse of the bolt in flight I intend to make one
myself. Available from the stock clerk at http://www.sca.org/ .
Norwegian Whaling Crossbows (and african) are written up in
Smithsonian Annual Reports from about 1908 - 1910.
They are also written up in one of the more modern Royal Armouries
Journals available from the Royal Armouries site. See notes below.
The Royal Armouries also sell an excellent small book on
_Springalds or Great Crossbows_ [for castle defence]:
Liebel, Jean (translated by Juliet Vale): _Springalds and Great
Crossbows_; Looks at the development of these little known,
low-trajectory weapons. "From the end of the tenth century, this
form of artillery achieved a certain level of excellence and
springalds became fundamental to the defence of medieval towns
and cities. To this end they became part of the European
economic renaissance that followed the great invasions.
Illustrated throughout this book is of great interest to the
crossbow enthusiast and general reader alike. Royal Armouries
Monograph 5, 1998, ix & 84pp., 46 b/w tables & figures.
ISBN 0948092319, £10.95. publications at armouries.org.uk
You may note I take copious notes so I can find the items later.
I will leave other contents of the annuals listed so you can see
what you are buying. Not everything in them is listed on their
website by any means. Note the interesting (and dangerous) survival
of siege pyrotechnics from Coburg Castle for example.
Royal Armouries Yearbook 2 for 1997: £15 9/01
* the reconstruction of the Sardis helmet
* the introduction of plate armour in medieval Europe
* the swords of John Jacob
* Japanese arms and armour
* crossbow hunting
* sniping rifles
* medieval fencing
* 19th-century Tower displays
* acquisitions for 1997
Royal Armouries Yearbook Volume 2 1997 has articles on reconstructing
the Sardis Helmet, British Iron Age mail, and how to
make a hardened leather helmet/armour. This involves heavily Oak
Tanned leather from one of the few English Tanneries still doing
the medieval method of tanning. No was was used.
The helmet is two piece, an inner crown and an outer shell with
flared neck guard. Reminds me of an archer's helmet. Formed on wooden
formers. Stapled, dried, rewet, hammered a bit, heated with air guns.
Very nice results. Also a really good article on crossbows including
detailed views of Norwegian Whaling crossbows. Fantastic book actually -
£15 plus shipping.
Royal Armouries Yearbook 6; 2001, £17.50 before shipping.
Royal Armouries in 2001
pp.1-12; Pictures of Yabusame event in August, picture of four old
goobers trying to raise a helmet in the 1970’s.
Recently Acquired Armour from the Gwynn Collection by Thom
Richardson, pp. 13-21.
Milanese mitten gauntlet for the right hand, German, 1450.
Poleyn for the left knee, Italian, about 1450. Vambrace and
reinforcing couter for the left arm, Italian, about 1450-60,
Upper back plate of 4 pieces, Italian about 1445.
Pair of German tasset attributed to Lorenze Helmschmied of Augsburg,
late 15th C. Great Bascinet, possibly English, about 1430. Drawing of
tomb sculpture, side view of the effigy of John Fitzalan, 7th earl of
Arundel, died 1435. Great Bascinet, possibly English, late 14th C.
Transitional Sallet, English or Italian export, about 1485. Transitional
Sallet English or Italian export, about 1485. References.
_A 15th-Century Weapons Dowry: The Weapons Dowry of Duke Philip the
Good of Burgundy for the Marriage of Mary of Guelders and James II of
Scotland in 1449_ by Kelly de Vries, pp. 22-31.
References only. An inventory.
_Some Silver-hilted Swords_ by London Makers in the Royal Armouries;
by Leslie Southwick, pp. 32-54. 32 illustrations. References.
_‘Land Transport Corps Swords’ in the Royal Armouries: and interim
summary_ by Philip J. Lankester, pp. 55-71. Nine pictures of small
swords and the way they were formerly decorating the interior of the
Tower of London.
_The Crossbow in Britain from the 9th to the 20th Century; its
imagery and development_; by Arthur Credland, pp. 72-87.
72- The Droston Stone, from St. Vigeans, near Arboath; Picish, about
850 AD showing a small figure in what looks like a hooded felt over
cape cocking his crossbow, and many animals.
73 - A tile from Chertsey Abbey, about 1270 showing a knight on
charger about to fire his crossbow.
74 - Capital from the Church of San Isidora, Leon, Spain with small
hooded figure drawing crossbow with both feet and both hands.
75-1 Hunter spanning his crossbow, about 1309-49, Beverly Minster,
East Yorkshire; 75-2 Hunter? spanning his crossbow, about 1390 to 1420,
Beverley Minster; 75-3 Hunter spanning his crossbow, about 1317 to 1340
- carving from tomb of St. William of York; ex-York Minster.
76-1 Crossbowman on a miserichord in the parish church of St. Paul’s
Bedford, early 15th-C.appears to have the upper end of a belt quiver
behind his back. 76-2 Stall in St. George’s Chapel Windsor showing a
carving of a soldier spanning his crossbow in military kit, drawing with
both hands and one foot with large quarrel beneath his chin, about
1477-1484.
77-1 Handgunner from the same miserichord as the previous figure -
probably the only instance of a gun appearing on a miserichord in
Britain.
77-2 Miserichord of a fox preaching to a flock of geese, a monkey
aiming a bolt from his crossbow; St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, about
1477 to 1484.
77-3 Sculpture from the exterior roof of the hall of Sterling Castle
Scotland; figure spanning a crossbow with a crannequin about 1540.
78-1 a Device of the printer Peter Treveris showing a wild man and
woman with bows, and a crossbow in center before them.
78-2 Needlework cushion cover “Fancie of a Fowler” Hardwick Hall,
Derbyshire about 1590-1600.
79-1 Tapestry bed valance (wool and silk) of English manufacture;
early 16th C. Glasgow Museums; the Burrell Collection.
79-2 Crossbowman shooting a flying bird, from the Visus panel of
the plasterwork ceiling in the long gallery of Blickling Hall, Norfolk,
about 1620.
80- Parish church of St. Dunstan, Hunsdon, Hertfordshire -
monumental brass of John Gray, keeper of Hunsdon Park, died 1591 -
him with crossbow, Death with arrow.
81-1 Panel of about 1654, by Edward Pierce at Wilton House,
Wiltshire. Hunters with gun and crossbow using the stalking cow.
81-2 Silver Crossbow suspended from the baldrick of the Wakeman’s
Horn, Ripon.
82 - Trade Card of Thomas Conway, gun, pistol, and crossbow maker,
Manchester, 1836-45.
83 - Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn deer shooting at Windsor, oil on
canvas, 1872, W.P. Frith (1819-1909).
84-1 Detail from ‘Who Goes There’, oil on canvas, 1908, F.M.Bennett.
84-2 Detail of Stained Glass window, Royal Forest Hunt, Chingford,
Essex, 1890 - Queen Elizabeth hunting in Epping Forest.
85 - The sons of Westrop Thomas Turner (1819-56) farmer, maltster,
brewer of the Black Lion, High Street, Lavenham, Suffolk; watercolour
1850. One child holds a crossbow.
2 pages of references.
_Pyrotechnic Devices from Coburg Castle_; by Alfred Geibig,
pp. 88-97.
88-1 Illustration of several pyrotechnical devices by Ernst Braun
in 1682.
88-2 Veste Coburg or Coburg Castle.
89-1 Limepot (Sturmtopf) from Coburg Castle with the original
seal, surrounded by caltrops smeared with remnants of quicklime from
another pot.
89-2 Limepot with the original cover of coarse cloth.
89-3 Empty pot for incendiary liquids still with the length
of matchcord drawn through eyelets.
89-4 Drawing of ‘stormpots’ and two nets for hurling them from
Biringuccio’s Pyrotechnia, Venice 1540.
90-1 ‘Von Feuerballen und Sturmsacken: instructions on how to
build fire- and lightballs by Wilhelm Dilich 1608.
90-3 Lightball with ‘death blows’.
91-1 & 2 Detail of a deathblow. View into the muzzle with
bullet inside. Death blow from the side.
91-3 Production of lightballs. The picture clearly shows how the
death blows were hammered in the vessel and how the fuse, or a wooden
plug, could be inserted; from von Kalmar 1932-4; figure 2.
91-4 Drawing of a sectioned lightball where one can clearly see
the combined armament of ‘Death Blows' and grenades. From von Kalmar
1932-4; fig. 5.
92-1 Lightball with ‘death blows’ and with a loop-like string for
carrying and probably hurling. Kalmar.
92-2 Drawing by Joseph Furttenbach in 1648 which shows a movable
shield which was designed to give shelter to persons who had to
extinguish enemy fire.
92-3 The Brandkugelschnapper. Drawing by Joeseph Furtenbach in 1648.
92-4 ‘Von Feuer Ringen’. Instructions on how to build pitch wreaths
by Wilhelm Dilich 1608.
93-1 Pitch Wreath, first type.
93-2 Pitch wreath, second type.
93-3 Pitch wreath, third type.
94-1 Five Grenades.
94-2 Model Section through a grenade with a hollow fuse
section made of elder.
94-3 Grenade from Bocholt, Germany. Complete with powder charge
and inserted fuse in form of rimmed wooden plug.
94-4 Bocholt. X-ray of an extracted wooden fuse which shows
vertical central channel and two of the four radial channels.
95-1 Schematic diagram of a section through a grenade from Bocholt.
95-2 Fallgranaten.
95-3 Disassembled Fallgranate.
96-1 Drawings of a dissassembled Fallgranate and an assembled
Fallgranate by Johann von Nassau in 1610. 3/4 page of references.
_Good and Bold: A Late 15th Century Artillery Train_; by Robert D.
Smith, pp. 98-107.
Strictly inventories of artillery trains in period - no
illustrations - short references.
_Casting and Firing a Mary Rose Culverin_; by Nicholas Hall,
pp.106-116. Looks to be about ten feet long on a naval gun-carriage.
106 the replica set up at Churchend Battery. Discussions of selection
of gun, metal formulations, molding and burning of core prior to
inserting it in the mold.
108 Burning Off the core to harden it. John Taylor Bellfounders
Ltd. Making the model, making the jacket or molding box, making the
core, Casting the gun.
112 - the demi-cannon carriage being altered to suit the culverin.
113 - The Culverin at the point of firing, from a high speed video.
The carriage and equipment. Ballistic results and initial conclusions.
The Mary Rose simulated ship’s side target showing the damage resulting.
9 citations in bibliography.
_Arms, Munitions, and Artillery Equipment from a Ship Wreck of the
early 1590s_; by J.P. Puype, pp. 117-128. The wreck foundered in
December 1593 near the island of Texel in the Netherlands. The gun
carriages have already been published, so this examines the other items
found. Figures 1 & 2 Linstock page 118. 118-3 Title page of Cornelius
Claesz, Der Bussen Meesterije (the Art of the Gun) published in
Amsterdam in 1588. 119-2&3 five cartridge prickers/vent reamers.
Loading tools - 120 - 1&2 Rammer or Ladle with scoop missing.
and Scoop for ladle. Cannon Shot and other projectiles - Solid cast
iron shot, Massive cast iron shot with lead casing, Spiked shot bound
with rope for firing, used to tear sails - Lead Bar shot - Case or
cannister shot of wooden casing fixed with ropes. 124 picture of an
opened case shot with lead balls. Portable firearms and accessories:
125-1 Fragment of a matchlock petronel with octagonal barrel.
125-2 Two almost complete petronels before conservation attached to
each other by concretion.
125-3. Closeup of the face of the butt end of the petronel gun.
125-4 Fragment of a matchlock caliver or musket.
125-5 Butt-end of the gun in last pictures.
127-1 Powder container or ’charge’for a musketeer’s bandoleer,
sheet brass, crude construction.
127-3 Three more brass powder containers, various views.
Third page bibliography. .
_Prince Henry’s Falcon_; Ruth Rynas Brown, pp. 129-133.
A remaining fragment of the fine bronze decorated falcon made for
Prince Henry, son of James I, by Thomas and Richard Pit, in 1608. The
rest was destroyed by the fire of the Grand Storehouse in the Tower of
London in 1841.
P. 126 - the remaining fragment of the muzzle of the gun, now on
display at Fort Nelson.
130 1 & 2 showing picture of Prince Henry and a fancy cannon
recovered from the HMS Association. A history concluded by 10 references.
_Theophilus Alexander Blakely and the Revolution in Victorian Gun
Design_; by Nicholas Hall, pp. 134-149. P. 134 1 & 2 a 4.25 inch
Blakely Patent Gun dated 1862; a 2.75 inch RML mountain gun and carriage
dated 1865.
140 - Display of Blakely Ammunition in an old photograph. 141 1 & 2
show a Blakely heavy gun and mounting dated 1865 and another 2.75 inch
gun and carriage from a rear oblique view. P. 146 showing trunnion
detail close up.
148-9 3/4 pages worth of references. Dull, dull, very damned dull.
_The Bowman’s Thumb-ring_*; by William Reid, pp.150-161.
*This paper is an augmented version of a lecture given to the VIIth
Congress of the International Association of Museums of Arms and
Military History, Warsaw, 1978, and later published in Materialy,
Pszczyna, Poland, 1992.
150 shows a Mongol bowman shooting in traditional style at full
draw, about 1950.
151 has 4 illustrations showing varied forms of Chinese Archer’s
rings fashioned of jade, silver, chalcedony and lacquered wood. The
Silver Ring in the centre is embossed with horses and foals and engraved
Zuwen (sufficient pattern) and xiu (excellent). The other pictures
depict a drawing of a thumb-ring of stone found on an excavated
skeletal hand with three others nearby - Meroe, Sudan before AD 340.;
A Lipped Form of early Chinese archer’s ring - crudely
carved from green-stained bone. Date Uncertain; and the ‘Fustat’ ring,
late medieval from three views after George T. Scanlon’s report on the
Fustat expedition, quoted by Patterson, 1967.
152 - 14 thumb-rings in various views from the near east, Serbia,
Turkey and Persia. 153 - Archer’s rings found at Sarai Berke,
early 14th Century, Nos. 1-3 are of bone, 4 is of chalcedony.
Medieval archer’s rings said to be of Silver alloy from the
Bulgarian National Museum of Ethnography, Sofia.
154- Heavy cast thumb-ring.- Thought to be used when training
with an excercise bow. Early collectors and Thumbrings for
adornment discussions.
P. 156 shows the later Shah Jahan with one ring on his hand
and three more suspended from his sash.
P. 157 - shows a dress ring of white jade with coloured stones
set in gold. Mughal or later period.
P. 158 shows 12 more thumb rings of various materials from India and
the Caucassus. Page 160-1 has nearly a full page of references.
_Organizing a Club Tourney_*; by Christopher Gravett, pp. 162-170.
*This paper is based on a lecture delivered at the 35th International
Medieval Congress at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, in May
2000. The Club Tourney was a variant using only rebated swords and
wooden maces.
It concerns the Traicti’e de la Forme et Devis d’ung Tournoy that
was written in about 1460 by King Ren’e of Anjou, a great patron of the
arts and chivalry. Rene (1409-80) inherited his family’s pretensions to
the thrones of the two Sicilies and Jerusalem, hence his title of King.
The Tournament book is dedicated to his younger brother, Charles of
Anjou. Six copies survive.
162 - The Dukes of Brittany and of Bourbon, equipped for the
tourney. Both have the sword attached by a wrist strap., while the Duke
of Brittany’s mace is shown hanging from a strap on the chest. The Duke
of Bourbon appears to be wearing vambraces and gauntlets of cuir bouilli
as described by Rene.
P. 163 depicts the King of Arms of the Duke of Brittany. There are a
number of rather indisctinct photographs of the drawings - much better
depicted in an old Horizon magazine book edition. The traict’e describes
all the equipment and ceremonies. A good deal of it has to do with
various bits of cuir bouilli armor. There are eight illustrations
including both sides of the horse’s chest padding.
_Sir James Gow Mann: Master of the Armouries 1938-62_;
by Sarah Barter Bailey, pp. 171-184.a This concerns both the man’s
accomplishments and his published articles as master of the armouries.
A complete bibliography of his works is appended.
_Short Notes_:
Concerns the laced stone, iron, bronze and leather armours of the
ancient Chinese. Pages 185-6.
_Preliminary Thoughts on the Roman Armour from Carlisle_. 186-9.
_A Taste of One’s own medicine_. Concerning armour existence in
Siberia under a variety of tribes such as the Khirgiz, Tatar, Mongol,
Kalmuk and Manchu peoples all had them. Pages 189-91.
_A Variety of hangers concerns the hangers (swords) issued about
1770 to some of the militia units in England_. Pages 191-2.
_Fowling guns and the Military - A request in 1803 from Lord
Braybrooke to the public to offer their Fowling Pieces or other private
arms for the Militia to use against the threat of invasion of England
posed by Napoleon Bonaparte at that time_. Pages 192-4.
_Fragment of a Firearm Combination Tool from Burton Constable Hall,
East Yorks_. Pages 194-6. An odd, engraved, fancy piece of dubious origin.
_Swords into Ploughshares_ concerns the Christian Council of
Mozambique which is trading bicylcles, ploughs, and sewing machines for
arms and grenades - so far one million of an estimated seven have been
turned into them and some of it is transformed into art and sold.
Page 196.
List of Acquisitions.New aquistions to the Armouries over the past
calendar year - six detailed pages... 197-202.
.................
Alm, Joseph: _European Crossbows, A Survey_. This survey of European
crossbows was published in Swedish in 1947. "It was immediately
recognised as the definitive work on the subject. It has yet to be
surpassed." Soft Illus/photos 1994, 122pp., 71 b/w illustrations,
$28.00 Royal Armouries Monograph, ISBN 0948092203 £12.95.
I'm not sure I'd call it definitive, however it's worth a look.
Royal Armouries Publications, Armouries Drive, Leeds, LS10 1LT, UK
Fax +44 113 220 1955 Email: Shopping.Leeds at armouries.org.uk 2/03.
.................
Campbell, Duncan B.:
Osprey New Vanguard # 89-Greek and Roman Artillery, 399 Bc-Ad 363.
Osprey has many ancient to medieval books on siege engines of the
Ancient to medieval east and west that just came out.
.................
Paterson, W.F.: A Guide to the Crossbow; Society of Archer Antiquaries,
1990. US$ 25.18 plus tax. Currently in print (or it recently was again).
................
Funcken, Liliane and Fred Funcken:Historische Waffen und Rüstungen;
(Knights and Common Soldiers from the 8th to 16th Centuries)
Sonderausgabe: EUR 14,95, Originalausgabe: EUR 20,35
Versandfertig in 24 Stunden.Größeres Bild
Ab EUR 20 308 Seiten - Orbis Verlag, Mchn. 2001; ISBN: 3572013089
http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/ASIN/3572013089/qid=1017950508/sr=1-
1/ref=sr_1_2_1/302-7795840-7680855
***is the same book in German as the older and harder to find
three below***:
Funcken, Liliane and Fred: Arms and Uniforms - The Age of Chivalry
Parts I, II, III;
Part I - The 8th to the 15th Century - Helmets and Mail, Tournaments
and Heraldic Bearings, Bows and Crossbows.
Part II - Castles, Forts, and Artillery, 8th to 15th Century - Armour,
12th to 15th century, Infantry of the Renaissance, Cavalry of the
Renaissance, The Slavs and Oriental to the end of the Renaissance.
Prentice-Hall, Inc. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.; First Published in England
in 1981 by Ward Lock Limited, London, a Pentos Company. First American
Edition by Prentice-Hall Inc. 1983. II - ISBN 0130462926 paperback,
01304663183 cloth hardback. 111 pages.
Part III - The Renaissance: Arms, Horses and Tournaments; Helmets and
Armour, Tactics and Artillery. Prentice-Hall, Inc. Englewood Cliffs,
N.J.; First Published in England in 1982 by Ward
Lock Limited, London, a Pentos Company. First American
Edition by Prentice-Hall Inc. 1983/reprinted 1984.
III - ISBN 0130463264 paperback, 0130463345 cloth hardback.
104 pages.
Part III has 45 methods of hanging swords on belts depicted alone. Also
has about thirty saddles on and off horses.
A comprehnsive study by the acknowledged masters of
uniform, dress & weaponry illustration, Liliane & Fred Funcken.
The book covers the costumes & dress, armour & weapons & heraldic
insignia of armies during the age of chivalry during the Renaissance. It
is replete with hundreds of colour illustrations of armour, foot &
mounted soldiers, personal & siege weapons & firearms as well horses,
their furniture & regalia. 104pp, 300 + col ills.
..............
The first (and only) Annual of the Arms and Armour Society by Howard
Blackmore has an article in it on crossbows.
..............
If it is a recent issue of Popular Mechanics or Mother Earth News that
looks like it has a neat article on making a crossbow save your money.
Been there, bought that. The bullet crossbow books and article are
terribly boring. The modern article listed on one website for a
Mother Earth news article merely shows how to make a shooting trigger
stick to attach to an upright bow so the user won't be fatigued.
The Popular Mechanics article from the early 70's shows how to machine
a very modern looking crossbow.
................
The best set of Popular Mechanics Encyclopedia on how to do everything,
and they meant it had excellent articles on building both bows and
crossbows (using steel springs from automobiles) in volumes I & III.
If you can get the whole set go for it.
After that the Popular Mechanics/Popular Science encyclopedias went for
a very sad ride. The good set is red in twelve rather small format
hardbound books. They are fantastic for the do it yourselfer.
Popular Mechanics: Popular Mechanics Do-It-Yourself Encyclopedia for
Home Owner, Craftsman and Hobbyist in Twelve Red Volumes, J.J. Little &
Ives Co., Inc., New York, Copyright 1955. Back in the days before
television when America was still a highly resourceful country with
diverse skilled craftsmen and a manufacturing industry not on its
way overseas Popular Mechanics Magazine (and the once great Popular
Science Magazine) had wonderful articles on making absolutely
everything and how to do it's.
This particular set is a compilation of about thirty years worth of
material including woodworking, metalwork, machining, casting,
welding, all kinds of crafts - and especially how to make your own
machinery and equipment and run it. Make your own welder, or foundry
for example.
...................
Smithsonian Magazine has had great cover articles in it in the last
twenty-five years on Bows, Crossbows, and Siege Engines separately.
...................
If I took the time to look up all the articles like these in my
four thick Archery and Crossbows and Siege engines folders it
would take me another two days to list them. Suffice it to say
I have given you a very good start. We didn't even begin with
all the archery books.
...............
I routinely announce the new Armouries books to many lists for
them. Their new Medieval History Magazine is great. I've seen
the first issues 0-7 now. It's $72 a year for Americans and
that breaks down to only $6 for an excellent monthly magazine.
In America it seems to be managed [by the new labels I am seeing
by Chivalry Bookshelf]. There are regular features such as cooking.
..................
Master Magnus Malleus, OL, SCA - Great Barony of Windmasters' Hill,
theManx, Regia.org, GDH.© R.M. Howe
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