Spring Rowel Spur

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The neck of this spur is screwed to a bent strip that slides into a socket and holds it in place. When the neck is unscrewed it can slide out and can be removed when not used. Such a spur would have been used for occasional and casual riding. This type of spur is described in the entry Eperon in the Swiss Encyclopédie d'Yverdon published in 1772 by Fortuné Barthélemy de Félice. He calls it a 'spring spur' (éperon à ressort). There, it is explained that the drawback of such spurs is that once the neck is separated from the heel plate, it is so small it is easy to loose. One of the other problems is you cannot move it to another pair of boots or shoes without asking a craftsman to remove the heel plates and to fix them back on another pair.

Arms and Armor

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The principal goals of the Arms and Armor Department are to collect, preserve, research, publish, and exhibit distinguished examples representing the art of the armorer, swordsmith, and gunmaker. Arms and armor have been a vital part of virtually all cultures for thousands of years, pivotal not only in conquest and defense, but also in court pageantry and ceremonial events. Throughout time the best armor and weapons have represented the highest artistic and technical capabilities of the society and period in which they were made, forming a unique aspect of both art history and material culture.

Metropolitan Museum of Art