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Details
LOT 1442
Medieval Iron Stirrup and Horse Bit
14TH-16TH CENTURY A.D.
7 1/4 - 10 1/4 in. (467 grams total, 18.5-26 cm).
Comprising: a snaffle bit with single bar and an iron stirrup in a form of elongated D, with an oval-shaped loop at the top, wide openwork footrest slightly curved forward, with decoration at the sides. [2, No Reserve]
Provenance
From the collection of the famous author, writer and speaker, Gordon Bailey, Essex, UK; formed since 1968.
Literature
Cf. Bailey, G., Detector finds 5, Witham, 2002, fig.7, p.31, for the 14th century snaffle bit; fig.5a-b-c, p.39, for the 15th-16th iron stirrup.
Footnotes
Snaffle bits have not altered very much in their design over the centuries. Medieval snaffle bits have survived in reasonable numbers, although they are still rare. A number of different designs are known for them. Some had a plain straight bar serving as the mouth piece, like our example. The 15th-16th century stirrup shows an interesting decoration at the sides of the footrest.
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