Wheellock Gun

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This wheellock gun is from the French Royal Arms Collection, inventory number 60. The stock is almost entirely covered with fine designs done in silver and brass wire inlay, a very difficult and unusual technique. The bottom of the butt plate is engraved with the heraldic arms of France and Navarre beneath a royal crown.

Arms and Armor

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The principal goals of the Arms and Armor Department are to collect, preserve, research, publish, and exhibit distinguished examples representing the art of the armorer, swordsmith, and gunmaker. Arms and armor have been a vital part of virtually all cultures for thousands of years, pivotal not only in conquest and defense, but also in court pageantry and ceremonial events. Throughout time the best armor and weapons have represented the highest artistic and technical capabilities of the society and period in which they were made, forming a unique aspect of both art history and material culture.

Metropolitan Museum of Art