Flintlock Blunderbuss

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This gun was made in Seringapatam, the capital of Tipu Sultan (1750–1799), the ruler of Mysore. Tipu's armories employed many European craftsmen, and his firearms reflect the most up to date technology. As the self-styled "tiger of Mysore," Tipu was preoccupied with tiger imagery. On this gun, tigers prance or hunt on the magnificently damascened barrel; the cock of the flintlock is fashioned as a tiger head; and the silver mount is stamped with stylized tiger-stripe marks. Following the storming of Seringapatam by the British on May 4, 1799, during which Tipu was killed, this gun and many other weapons were taken to Europe as booty.

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