Pair of Flintlock Pistols
Unknown Artist
ca. 1775
Medium
Steel, silver, wood (walnut), horn
Dimensions
L. of each 18 11/16 in. (47.5 cm); L. of each barrel 11 15/16 in. (30.3 cm); Cal. of each .69 in. (17.5 mm); Wt. of each 2 lb. 5 oz. (1048.9 g)
Classification
Firearms-Pistols-Flintlock
Culture
Irish
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1970
Accession Number
1970.78.1, .2
Art Historical Context
This exquisite pair of Irish flintlock pistols, crafted around 1775, exemplifies the masterful gunsmithing of late 18th-century Europe. Fashioned from steel, silver, walnut wood, and horn, each pistol measures 18 11/16 inches in length with an 11 15/16-inch barrel, a .69-inch caliber, and weighs a hefty 2 pounds 5 ounces. The walnut stocks provide ergonomic balance and a rich, tactile warmth, while silver accents and horn elements hint at the fine detailing typical of high-quality arms, blending functionality with subtle elegance. Flintlock mechanisms like these were the pinnacle of firearm t...