Over-and-Under Flintlock Pistol

Over-and-Under Flintlock Pistol

George Sturman

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This large pistol is of good quality, and with its plain, functional stock, sparsely engraved mounts, and finely finished barrels, it is quintessentially English in style. It was made by George Sturman between the years 1841–48, when he was at the address 25 East Road, City Road, in London. Unusually late for a flintlock, a mechanism which by the 1840s had long been superseded by percussion ignition–it may have been sold to a conservative client or assembled from older parts.

Arms and Armor

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Over-and-Under Flintlock PistolOver-and-Under Flintlock PistolOver-and-Under Flintlock PistolOver-and-Under Flintlock PistolOver-and-Under Flintlock Pistol

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.