Powder Flask

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The only known example of its kind, this flask is constructed of a wooden core, which is overlaid with a copper-alloy sheet that was chased in low relief, in the same manner as the stocks of a small group of firearms associated with the court of Duke Julius of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1528–1589) and thought to have been made in his dominions. The group includes three wheellock pistols that are preserved in the Deutsches Historisches Museum, Berlin (inv. unknown), the Kestner Museum, Hannover (inv. WM I. 227), and the Royal Armouries, Leeds (inv. XII.1176), respectively; a wheellock gun in the Anton-Ulrich-Museum, Brunswick (inv. unknown); and a wheel- and matchlock gun in the Tøjhusmuseet, Copenhagen (inv. B 70). As with most of these weapons, the flask prominently features the duke’s monogram, the meaning of which remains uncertain. Even though it was probably intended to complement a firearm, its decoration does not appear to match closely any of the examples known to survive.

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