Album Page with Designs for Floral Ornament and Two Gunlocks

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Featuring two original designs of gunlocks, this page probably comes from an album or scrapbook compiled either by a craftsman for personal reference or by a collector interested in styles of ornament. Intended to be made in chiseled steel, the lock designs demonstrate the playful and inventive use of late baroque and rococo ornament that characterize the most beautiful firearms of the eighteenth 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