LOT 1839

Medieval Iron Caltrop Anti-Cavalry Group

15TH CENTURY A.D.

3 1/4 - 3 1/2 in. (423 grams total, 82-90 mm).

Comprising thirteen caltrops, hand-forged with square-section spikes. [13, No Reserve]

From the private collection of a London gentleman, from his grandfather's collection formed before the early 1970s.

Cf. Trapp, Graf, O., & Scalini, M., L'Armeria Trapp di Castel Coira-The Armoury of the Castle of Chuburg-Die Churburger Rustkammer, Fagnana, 1995-1996, p. 297 (vol. 1), for similar medieval German caltrops; Žákovský, P., ‘Caltrop. Contribution to the knowledge of one neglected weapon’ in Studia Minora Facultatis Philosophicae Universitatis Brunensis, M 12-13, 2007-2008, pp.115-132, fig.9, no.1 (type IIIa of Žákovský classification).

P. Žákovský has been able to classify medieval caltrops, mainly from 13th to 15th century A.D., on the basis of their morphology, into four main typologies, each with different variants. Caltrops with single-pointed spikes, whose interpretation, however, is often ambiguous belong to type I. The other three types represent classic four-pointed caltrops, and individual types in this group differ from one another just in their cross-section.