Germany, Munich, 18th century / c. 1720–40
Wheel-Lock from a Hunting Rifle
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Wheel-Lock from a Hunting Rifle as arms and armor (Germany, Munich, 18th century · c. 1720–40).
The engraver's signature, I.C. Stenglin Sr., can be seen on the edge running vertically.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this arms and armor as steel, engraved.
The museum's collection notes: At the beginning of the 1500s a new type of ignition system was invented: the wheel-lock, the first self-igniting mechanism for guns. This type of ignition involved a piece of iron pyrites held in the jaws of a cock. When the trigger was pulled the pyrites pressed against the serrated edge of a prewound revolving wheel, creating a shower of sparks that ignited priming powder in a pan on top of the lock. This action sent a flash of flame through the vent hole to explode the main charge in the breech of the barrel. Originally part of a deluxe hunting rifle, the lock plate's entire surface is engraved in a chaotic scene. Combating cavaliers, Tur
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtWheel-Lock from a Hunting RifleOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.