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A work made of steel, brass, walnut, ebony, and horn.

Triple-Barrel Revolving Flintlock Fowling Piece from the Gun Cabinet of the Princes of Liechtenstein

c. 1650

Gunsmith: Tilman Keucks (Dutch)

Germany

When hunting fowl in flight, it was difficult to aim fast enough to get another shot with a second gun. This early flintlock fowling piece was designed to solve this problem. To get a quick second shot, and even a third, the hunter reset the cock, withdrew the lever in front of the trigger to release the barrels, manually rotated to the next charged barrel, and pulled the trigger again.

Triple-barrel guns are exceptionally rare, as the weight typically rendered them too cumbersome. This gun, however, with its fine craftsmanship and thin-walled barrels, is actually the lightest fowling piece in this case.

Steel, brass, walnut, ebony, and horn

Applied Arts of Europe