Double-Barreled Percussion Shotgun

Louis Perrin

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This is presumably the "richly decorated gun" said to have been exhibited by Perrin in 1855 at the Exposition Universelle in Paris and again in 1862 at the International Exhibition in London. Undoubtedly Louis Perrin's masterpiece, this shotgun is one of the most ambitious firearms of its period. The butt, pierced and carved in the round with the figure of a medieval hunter, reflects the lingering influence of the Gothic revival. The silver mounts are of extraordinary quality, notably the buttplate with its graceful figure of a Native American.

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