Pair of Wheellock Pistols Made for the Bodyguard of the Prince-Elector of Saxony

Hans Fleischer|Simon Helbig

ca. 1610 · Steel, gold, brass, staghorn, wood (beech) · Arms and Armor

These slender, elegant pistols are sparingly inlaid with engraved staghorn and feature push-button pan covers. The finely carved pear-shaped, hexagonal pommels, engraved gilt brass accents, and crisply embellished three-stage barrels mark their quality. In superb condition, they were made for the Bodyguard of the Prince-Elector of Saxony and bear the arms of Saxony on the stocks.

Artist

Hans Fleischer|Simon Helbig

Date

ca. 1610

Medium

Steel, gold, brass, staghorn, wood (beech)

Culture

German, Dresden

Department

Arms and Armor

Credit line

Gift of William H. Riggs, 1913