Pair of Wheellock Pistols Made for the Bodyguard of the Prince-Elector of Saxony
ca. 1590
Medium
Steel, wood, silver, gold, brass
Dimensions
14.25.1399a; L. 24 3/16 in. (61.4 cm); L. of barrel 15 1/16 in. (38.3 cm); Cal. .502 in. (12.8 mm); Wt. 4 lb. 3 oz. (1899 g) 14.25.1399b; L. 24 3/4 in. (62.9 cm); L. of barrel 15 3/8 in. (39.1 cm); Cal. .507 in. (12.88 mm); Wt. 4 lb. 1 oz. (1850 g)
Classification
Firearms-Pistols-Wheellock
Culture
German, Dresden
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of William H. Riggs, 1913
Accession Number
14.25.1399a, b
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
Step into the opulent world of late Renaissance Europe with this exquisite pair of wheellock, crafted around 1590 by the renowned Dresden gunsmith Zacharias Herold. Commissioned for the bodyguard of the Prince-Elector Saxony—one of the most powerful electors in the Holy Roman Empirese firearms exemplify the fusion of deadly function and princely splendor. Measuring about 24 inches in length with hefty barrels chambered for .50 caliber shot, they weigh over four pounds each, balancing power and portability for elite protection. Wheellock technology, a German innovation predating the flintlock, used a spring-loaded wheel striking pyrite to ignite gunpowder, offering reliable firing without a lit match—ideal for mounted guards. Herold's mastery shines in the materials: blued steel for strength, richly figured walnut stocks, and lavish inlays of silver, gold, and brass, transforming weapons into status symbols. Produced in Dresden, a hub of Saxon metalworking, these pistols highlight the era's arms race among nobility, where craftsmanship rivaled jewelry. Gifted to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1913 by William H. Riggs, they now reside in the Arms and Armor Department, reminding us how art and warfare intertwined in 16th-century Germany. A testament to ingenuity and prestige!