Wheel-Lock from a Hunting Rifle
Unknown Artist
c. 1660–1720
Medium
steel, inlaid with gold design of Habsburg eagle, pierced and chiseled
Dimensions
30.7 × 17.2 cm
Classification
Arms and Armor
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance
Accession Number
1916.1546
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Originally part of a deluxe weapon, the lock plate's entire surface is inlaid with an exquisite floral pattern in gold. Carefully chiseled, the fanciful hammer takes the form of an animal head crowned by a mass of foliage. The double eagle on the wheel plate suggests the weapon was made for a member of the Habsburg family.