Rare archer's arrow guide (siper) - Lot 377

Rare archer's arrow guide (siper) Shagreen, walrus ivory, painted wood, leather, metal threads Turkey, 17th/18th century 14 x 9 cm This object, mysterious at first glance, is made of precious materials: walrus ivory, shagreen and leather adorned with metal threads. It also features a finely painted decoration reminiscent of cross-fertilization between the Orient and Venice. Its military use is linked to archery: it enabled archers to shoot short arrows. These arrows had a long range and could not be reused by enemies. The object was placed at wrist level and extended the space available for stringing the bow, without the need for long arrows. A number of comparable objects are known to exist in various collections and institutions, including the Topkapi Museum and the Moser-Charlottenfels collection. An example in tinted walrus ivory is held by the David Collection in Copenhagen (42a/1977) and another published in the exhibition Topkapi à Versailles, Trésors de la Cour Ottomane, Musée National des Châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon, May 4 - August 15, 1999, RMN / AFAA, p. 308, n°268.