Musket
1588 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
The large musket is a type of gun that was popular with captains of trained bands in late 16th-century England. Large muskets of this length were invariably used with forked rests to support their great weight.
People
This musket belonged originally to Sir William Harris of Shenfield House, Margaretting, Essex, who married into the Raymond family in the early 17th century. A staghorn panel on the butt (end) of the musket bears the date 1588. As a result this group of firearms and flask have been known as the Armada relics.
Materials & Making
The stock (the wooden support for the barrel by which the gun is held) is inlaid with a staghorn panel engraved with the initials 'RI' and 'DI' for two craftsmen with the same surname who worked on it. The panels in the stock are engraved with motifs found on contemporary engravings and textiles. The locks and barrel were almost certainly originally damascened (inlaid) in gold and silver, as is the accompanying wheel-lock (a system of ignition operated by a revolving wheel). Surviving English 16th-century firearms are very rare.
The large musket is a type of gun that was popular with captains of trained bands in late 16th-century England. Large muskets of this length were invariably used with forked rests to support their great weight.
People
This musket belonged originally to Sir William Harris of Shenfield House, Margaretting, Essex, who married into the Raymond family in the early 17th century. A staghorn panel on the butt (end) of the musket bears the date 1588. As a result this group of firearms and flask have been known as the Armada relics.
Materials & Making
The stock (the wooden support for the barrel by which the gun is held) is inlaid with a staghorn panel engraved with the initials 'RI' and 'DI' for two craftsmen with the same surname who worked on it. The panels in the stock are engraved with motifs found on contemporary engravings and textiles. The locks and barrel were almost certainly originally damascened (inlaid) in gold and silver, as is the accompanying wheel-lock (a system of ignition operated by a revolving wheel). Surviving English 16th-century firearms are very rare.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Steel; wooden stock inlaid with engraved staghorn |
| Dimensions |
|
| Marks and inscriptions | (Date; 1588) |
| Gallery label | British Galleries:
PISTOL, POWDER FLASK AND MUSKET This beautifully decorated group of weapons was probably made by a craftsman who trained in Northern Europe before settling in England. Such weapons were for display, rather than for battle. The delicate inlay features designs from contemporary Continental prints. The engraved chariot on the powder flask is adapted from an engraving by the German printmaker Virgil Solis (1514-1562).(27/03/2003) |
| Credit line | Purchased with the assistance of the National Heritage Memorial Fund |
| Object history | Stamped with gunmaker's mark 'RA' and engraved with stockmaker's initials 'RI, DI' Made in England |
| Summary | Object Type The large musket is a type of gun that was popular with captains of trained bands in late 16th-century England. Large muskets of this length were invariably used with forked rests to support their great weight. People This musket belonged originally to Sir William Harris of Shenfield House, Margaretting, Essex, who married into the Raymond family in the early 17th century. A staghorn panel on the butt (end) of the musket bears the date 1588. As a result this group of firearms and flask have been known as the Armada relics. Materials & Making The stock (the wooden support for the barrel by which the gun is held) is inlaid with a staghorn panel engraved with the initials 'RI' and 'DI' for two craftsmen with the same surname who worked on it. The panels in the stock are engraved with motifs found on contemporary engravings and textiles. The locks and barrel were almost certainly originally damascened (inlaid) in gold and silver, as is the accompanying wheel-lock (a system of ignition operated by a revolving wheel). Surviving English 16th-century firearms are very rare. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.948-1983 |
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| Record created | March 27, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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