Pair of Flintlock Pistols

William Brander

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

William Brander gained his freedom from the Gunmakers Company in 1748, and he passed his successful gunmaking business to his son Martin by 1782, around the time that these pistols were made. Though they are mounted with brass barrels, which were less expensive than steel barrels, they feature good quality silver mounts by Michael Barnett, a silversmith who supplied many English gunmakers with silver trigger guards, butt caps, ram rod tubes, and other mounts in the late 18th and early 19th century.

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