Double-Barreled Side-by-Side Flintlock Shotgun

Joseph Manton & Son, British, London 1834–1838

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This is one of the last flintlock shotguns made by Joseph Manton’s (1766–1835) firm. It bears the serial number 10,530. By ca. 1837 the flintlock had long been superseded by more advanced percussion mechanisms, suggesting that this gun may have been purchased by a conservative client. One of the most influential and esteemed gunmakers in London in the late 18th–early 19th century, Joseph Manton died in 1835, passing his business to his son John Augustus Manton (1809–1852), who continued to trade under the name Joseph Manton & Son.

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