Flintlock Gun

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This gun is notable for its great length (77 inches overall) and for several stylistic features that make it attributable to New York. It is distinguished further by its historical association with John Dean (1755–1816), a sergeant in the Continental Army during the American Revolution who participated in the capture of the British spy Major André. Although made for hunting, this gun may have been carried by Dean during the Revolution. Like many American firearms of the Colonial era, it is fitted with an imported barrel and lock. The lock comes from a French infantry musket, model 1728, and bears the marking of the royal arms factory at Saint-Étienne. The gun has been handed down through the Dean family; a member of the family, Dr. Bashford Dean (1867–1928), became the first curator of the Metropolitan Museum's Department of Arms and Armor in 1912.

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