Pair of Pellet-Lock Pistols with Case with Accessories

Charles Moore

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

English percussion mechanisms of the early nineteenth century utilized fulminate, a highly combustible chemical compound that burned faster than gunpowder and ignited when struck with force, as their means of ignition. Like gunpowder, it could be used in loose, powdered form or contained within different types of caps. These finely made pistols by Charles Moore used spherical pellets made of mercury fulminate coated with iron oxide (rouge), each about 2mm in diameter and weighing about 20 mg, which were considerably safer and more manageable than the loose powder. A pellet dispenser tool included with the pistol set would have facilitated the user in placing pellets precisely in the lock’s pellet cup under the cock. When the cock fell, the pellet cover (mounted under the cock) would automatically flip out of the way. Moore’s lock adapted a design previously patented by gunmaker Westley Richards (1788–1865) in 1821.

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