id:			95893
accession number:	1916.1581
share license status:	CC0
url:			https://clevelandart.org/art/1916.1581
updated:		2023-08-23 18:09:01.530000

Curb Bit, c. 1580–1600. Italy, late 16th Century. Iron with gilt bronze bosses; overall: 25.4 x 15.6 cm (10 x 6 1/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance 1916.1581

title:				Curb Bit
title in original language:	
series:				
series in original language:	
creation date:			c. 1580–1600
creation date earliest:		1550
creation date latest:		1599
current location:		
creditline:			Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance
copyright:			

---

culture:	Italy, late 16th Century
technique:	iron with gilt bronze bosses
department:	Medieval Art
collection:	MED - Arms & Armor
type:		Arms and Armor
find spot:	
catalogue raisonne: 

---

CREATORS

---

measurements: Overall: 25.4 x 15.6 cm (10 x 6 1/8 in.)
state of the work:	
edition of the work: 	

support materials:


inscriptions:

---

CURRENT EXHIBITIONS

	title:		Armor Court Reinstallation
	opening date:   1998-09-10T00:00:00
	<i>Armor Court Reinstallation</i>. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer).

---

LEGACY EXHIBITIONS

---

PROVENANCE

	Frank Gair Macomber, Boston, MA, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art
	date: ?-1916
	footnotes: 	
	citations: 	


	The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
	date: 1916-
	footnotes: 	
	citations: 	


---

fun fact:
A curb bit uses lever action, meaning that it multiplies the pressure applied by the rider.

digital description:


wall description:
A well-constructed curb bit was an essential piece of equipment for keeping a powerful battle stallion under control. Like other horse trappings, bits were often elegantly fashioned and ornamented. This example has applied and gilded bosses.
---

RELATED WORKS

---

CITATIONS

	Gilchrist, Helen Ives. <em>A Catalogue of the Collection of Arms &amp; Armor Presented to the Cleveland Museum of Art by Mr. and Mrs. John Long Severance; 1916-1923</em>. Cleveland: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1924.
	page number: 	Mentioned: p. 240, J37; Reproduced: Plate XLVIII, J37
	url:		https://archive.org/details/SeveranceCollection1924/page/n337

	Fliegel, Stephen N. <em>Arms and Armor: The Cleveland Museum of Art.</em> [Cleveland, Ohio]: The Museum, 1998.
	page number: 	p. 53, 165, cat. nol 71
	url:		

	Fliegel, Stephen N.<em> Arms &amp; Armor: The Cleveland Museum of Art.</em> [Cleveland, Ohio]: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2007.
	page number: 	cat. no. 72, p. 185
	url:		

---

IMAGES

web:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1916.1581/1916.1581_web.jpg
print:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1916.1581/1916.1581_print.jpg
full:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1916.1581/1916.1581_full.tif