Bow case - part of a weapon set

The bow holder has an oblong, curved shape the front side is covered with red velvet and embroidered with gilt and silvered metal wire: an upwards growing stem branching off to three smaller and one large lacerated palmette with bending foliated branches and rosettes on two sides. The ornament is framed by an embroidered striped pattern. The lining and back are made of leather, the trimming is a narrow, green leather strap. The form follow that of the drawn bow: wide above and narrowing below. It was fastened to the belt with a twisted wire or leather strap, which was drove through the leather hanger on the two upper complements of the back and the cipper ring attached to the upper left part of the front side. Its form and type were fashionable in the second half of the 16th century, but it was made in the 17th century also. Numerous variations are known in museums and private collections. Our objects may be conditionally identified with the description of the 1654 year inventory of the Fraknó treasury. (Inventarium 1654. p. 171.). The quiver is smaller than the bow holder the bottom is spragged by a wooden wedge for storing the arrows. The technique of the ornamentation of the front side is similar to that of the bow holder. The ornamentation of the embroidery, two palmettes above each other, in a frame have the same form as those of the bow holder. In the middle is an embroidered strap in a broken line, imitating a sidepocket. Above it are two holes of circa 1 cm diameter, once decorated with green leather appliquees. Below, the wooden inlay is covered with an oval shaped piece of leather, the embossed decoration is an S-shaped foliage motif set in a circle, with two inversely bending scrolls ending in pointed leaves. The trimming is green leather. On 16th-17th centuries quivers there are often side pockets to be found for storing special arrows, as on the quiver of the collection of the Museum of Applied Arts (Inv. No. 52. 2880) or on the one of the former Festetich collection. Not knowing the original condition we may only assume that the holes were also made for storing the arrows. The eight arrows have feathered ends. Two of them are painted red and blue, one is gilt. Except one — made of horn — all have iron points.