Pair of Flintlock Box-Lock Pistols with Bayonets

Pair of Flintlock Box-Lock Pistols with Bayonets

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Brass-barreled flintlock pistols mounted with spring-loaded bayonets were a common type in England during the last quarter of the 18th century. This pair features barrels and silver mounts that have been comprehensively carved with half-nude figures and animals in a manner that led former curator Stephen V. Grancsay to suggest that they may have been embellished by a craftsman in the Balearic Islands.

Arms and Armor

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Pair of Flintlock Box-Lock Pistols with BayonetsPair of Flintlock Box-Lock Pistols with BayonetsPair of Flintlock Box-Lock Pistols with BayonetsPair of Flintlock Box-Lock Pistols with BayonetsPair of Flintlock Box-Lock Pistols with Bayonets

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.