Double-Barrel Revolving Flintlock Pocket Pistol
c. 1650/60
Medium
Steel, wood, and ivory
Dimensions
L. 27.3 cm (10 3/4 in.) Barrel L. 12.7 cm (5 in.) Wt. 1 lb. 2 oz. Caliber .46
Classification
firearm-handgun
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
106486
Art Historical Context
Crafted by Henri Suber around 1650 to 1660, this Double-Barrel Revolving Flintlock Pocket Pistol is a remarkable artifact of 17th-century European gunsmithing. Compact at 27.3 cm in length with a 12.7 cm barrel and weighing only 1 pound 2 ounces, it was designed as a concealable firearm in .46 caliber, made of steel, wood, and ivory. The flintlock system, in which flint strikes steel to create sparks, marked an important evolution in handheld weapons of this era, offering greater reliability than earlier mechanisms. Its revolving double-barrel feature enabled two shots without reloading, high...