Pair of Flintlock Pistols
Unknown Artist
early 1700s
Medium
steel with gold inlay, gilt-brass mounts; walnut burl stock; chiseled high-relief decoration
Dimensions
l. 49.5 cm · barrel: l. 32.1 cm
Classification
Arms and Armor
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance
Accession Number
1916.50
About this artwork
Works of exquisite craftsmanship, this pair of pistols, on view in the museum’s armor court, feature an array of decorative elements, including carved walnut, gold inlay, and chiseled, engraved, and gilded figural designs. The barrel is signed G. MASSIN, the name of a gunsmith working in eastern France or French-speaking Flanders, possibly the city of Liège.