Pair of Wheellock Pistols
Unknown Artist
ca. 1590
Medium
Steel, wood, ivory
Dimensions
14.25.1403a: L. 16 3/8 in. (41.6 cm); L. of barrel 10 5/8 in. (27 cm); Cal. .53 in. (13.4 mm); Wt. 3 lb. 8 oz. (1587.6 g); 14.25.1403b: L. 16 3/8 in. (41.6 cm); L. of barrel 10 9/16 in. (26.8 cm); Cal. .53 in. (13.5 mm); Wt. 3 lb. 8 oz. (1587.6 g)
Classification
Firearms-Pistols-Wheellock
Culture
German, Nuremberg
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of William H. Riggs, 1913
Accession Number
14.25.1403a, b
Art Historical Context
This exquisite pair of wheellock pistols, around 1590 in Nuremberg, Germany, exemplifies the pinnacle of Renaissance gunsmithing. Measuring about 16 inches long with .53-caliber barrels, each weighs roughly 3.5 pounds, making them ideal for mounted use. The wheellock mechanism—a groundbreaking innovation from the early 16th century— a spinning steel wheel to strike flint, igniting gunpowder without the need for a lit match unlike earlier matchlocks. This reliability revolutionized cavalry tactics during an era of religious wars and exploration. Nuremberg was a renowned center for fine metalwo...