Cased Six-Barreled Revolving Percussion Pistol ("Pepperbox")
Medium
Steel, gold, silver, ivory, wood (rosewood), velvet
Dimensions
L. of pistol 7 in. (17.78 cm); case 12 15/16 x 8 3/16 x 2 5/8 in. (32.84 x 20.78 x 6.65 cm)
Classification
Firearms-Pistols-Percussion
Culture
American, Norwich, Connecticut
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Eric Vaule, 1990
Accession Number
1990.137a–j
Art Historical Context
This elegant cased pistol, crafted in Norwich, Connecticut between 1842 and 1847, represents a pinnacle of early American firearms design during a period of rapid innovation in percussion technology. Made by gunsmiths Ethan Allen and Charles T. Thurber, the six-barreled “pepperbox” revolver allowed multiple shots without reloading, a practical advancement for travelers and settlers in the antebellum era. Its compact size and revolving mechanism made it both a functional sidearm and a symbol of ingenuity in an expanding nation. The luxurious materials—steel barrels accented with gold and silve...
About the Artist
Ethan Allen|Charles T. Thurber (American|American) · 1808 |1837 –1871 |1855
American, 1808–1871|American, active 1837–55