Wheellock Pistol
Unknown Artist
ca. 1590
Medium
Steel, wood, staghorn
Dimensions
L. 20 1/2 in. (52.1 cm); L. of barrel 12 7/8 in. (32.7 cm); Cal. .51 in. (13 mm); Wt. 3 lb. 8 oz. (1587.6 g)
Classification
Firearms-Pistols-Wheellock
Culture
German, Augsburg
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of William H. Riggs, 1913
Accession Number
14.25.1402b
Art Historical Context
Step into the world of Renaissance ingenuity with this stunning wheellock pistol from Augsburg, Germany, circa1590. Crafted by an unknown master gunsmith, this firearm exemplifies the city's reputation as a hub of exceptional metalworking and arms production during the late 16th century Measuring 20½ inches long with a 12⅞-inch barrel, it weighs a hefty 3 pounds 8, underscoring its robust design for mounted combat or personal defense among the elite. The wheellock mechanism was a groundbreaking innovation, replacing unreliable matchlocks by using a spring-loaded wheel to strike flint-like pyr...