Wheellock Pistol

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

French wheellock pistols of the early seventeenth century are distinguished by their extreme length, small-caliber barrels, and delicate decoration of engraved mother-of-pearl, staghorn, and brass. Innovations in the wheellock mechanism, such as the placement of the mainspring within a recess in the grip rather than on the interior of the lockplate (as was usual on German wheellocks), allowed the stocks of the French pistols to be lighter, more slender, and more gracefully proportioned.

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