{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O70522"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O70522/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2012FM9592/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2012FM9592/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2012FM9592","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2012FM9634","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AD0446","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2019MC7790","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O70522/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O70522","accessionNumber":"M.7-1949","objectType":"Wheel lock pistol","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Arms and armour are rarely associated with art. However, they were influenced by the same design sources as other art forms including architecture, sculpture, goldsmiths' work, stained glass and ceramics. These sources had to be adapted to awkward shaped devices required to perform complicated technical functions. Armour and weapons were collected as works of art as much as military tools.\r\n\r\nThis wheel-lock pistol has a mechanism that enabled it to be carried loaded. The jaws of the lock clamped a piece of flint or a piece or pyrites designed to rub against the rough edge of the wheel projecting into the pan. The wheel was revolved at speed by a tightly coiled spring, wound by a separate spanner, and released when the gun's trigger was pulled causing sparks to ignite the gunpowder in the breech.\r\n\r\nSketches for wheel-locks were made by Leonardo da Vinci but their first common use was in Germany in around 1520 and they continued in use until the late seventeenth century. They were the first devices to fire guns mechanically and accelerated the development of firearms by negating the need for long and dangerous 'match' cords which had to be kept dry. The increasingly powerful gunpowder of the mid-16th century encouraged the development of smaller guns including the pistol, and many were fitted with wheel locks. A loaded pistol could be concealed under a cloak, to the concern of European rulers. Elizabeth I forbade anyone from carrying a mechanical firearm within 500 yards of a royal palace and in 1584 William the Silent was the first monarch to be assassinated with a wheel lock gun.\r\n\r\nAs technical devices wheel-locks attracted princely collectors. This example bears the inventory stamp of Louis XIII's armoury. Many are finely chiselled and engraved as works of art, some even on their insides, to be taken apart and reassembled at pleasure. The stocks were also often decorated with fine bone and horn inlays drawing on the skills of furniture makers and engravers. Wheel-lock guns were expensive, however, and most ordinary gunners were equipped with the older style match-locks until well into the seventeenth century.","physicalDescription":"Walnut stock, the faceted ovoid pommel stained black. The wheel-lock of French construction with main-spring fixed in stock. Instead of having the axle of the mainspring projecting, the external wheel is recessed to take the end of the key. The barrel is octagonal. Stamped on the stock in front of the trigger guard is the number 215.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"steel","id":"AAT133751"},{"text":"walnut","id":"AAT12476"}],"techniques":[{"text":"forging","id":"AAT54033"},{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"},{"text":"staining","id":"AAT53058"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Stained walnut stock, steel barrel and mounts","categories":[{"text":"Firearms","id":"THES49007"},{"text":"Arms & Armour","id":"THES48992"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2012FM9592","2012FM9634","2006AD0446","2019MC7790"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"007","id":"THES305310"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Firearm","id":""}],[{"text":"Wheel lock pistol","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"France","id":"x28849"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1625-1650","earliest":"1625-01-01","latest":"1650-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Transferred from the Rotunda Museum of Artillery","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"25","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Taken from Register","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"16","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Barrel","note":""},{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"0.56","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Bore (Calibre)","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'215' stamped on the stock","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Inventory number from the Cabinet d'Armes. The corresponding entry reads; 'Une autre paire de pistolets à rouet, de 23 pouces, le canon à huit pams, tout uny, le roüet de mesme, montée sur un bois rouge, tout uny, le pommeau de bois noircy a huit pams.'"},{"content":"MA 854","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"Museum of Artillery Inventory Number","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Stamped on stock"}],"objectHistory":"From the Cabinet d'Armes of Louis XIII, King of France. Transferred from the Rotunda Museum of Artillery. This is one of the firearms brought to England from Paris as Trophies of War after the Battle of Waterloo.","historicalContext":"Arms and armour are rarely associated with art. However, they were influenced by the same design sources as other art forms including architecture, sculpture, goldsmiths' work, stained glass and ceramics. These sources had to be adapted to awkward shaped devices required to perform complicated technical functions. Armour and weapons were collected as works of art as much as military tools.\r\n\r\nThis wheel-lock pistol has a mechanism that enabled it to be carried loaded. The jaws of the lock clamped a piece of flint or a piece or pyrites designed to rub against the rough edge of the wheel projecting into the pan. The wheel was revolved at speed by a tightly coiled spring, wound by a separate spanner, and released when the gun's trigger was pulled causing sparks to ignite the gunpowder in the breech.\r\n\r\nSketches for wheel-locks were made by Leonardo da Vinci but their first common use was in Germany in around 1520 and they continued in use until the late seventeenth century. They were the first devices to fire guns mechanically and accelerated the development of firearms by negating the need for long and dangerous 'match' cords which had to be kept dry. The increasingly powerful gunpowder of the mid-16th century encouraged the development of smaller guns including the pistol, and many were fitted with wheel locks. A loaded pistol could be concealed under a cloak, to the concern of European rulers. Elizabeth I forbade anyone from carrying a mechanical firearm within 500 yards of a royal palace and in 1584 William the Silent was the first monarch to be assassinated with a wheel lock gun.\r\n\r\nAs technical devices wheel-locks attracted princely collectors. This example bears the inventory stamp of Louis XIII's armoury. Many are finely chiselled and engraved as works of art, some even on their insides, to be taken apart and reassembled at pleasure. The stocks were also often decorated with fine bone and horn inlays drawing on the skills of furniture makers and engravers. Wheel-lock guns were expensive, however, and most ordinary gunners were equipped with the older style match-locks until well into the seventeenth century.","briefDescription":"Wheel lock pistol, France, from the Cabinet d'Armes of Louis XIII of France, 1625-1650","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Hayward, J. F., <u>European Firearms</u>, London, HMSO, 1969, cat. 24"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["M.7-1949"],"accessionNumberNum":"7","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1949,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Museum of Artillery Inventory Number","id":"THES56155"},"number":"MA 854"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-12","recordCreationDate":"2002-11-21","availableToBook":true}}