Source: The Wisconsin Magazine of History, Vol. 44, No. 3 (Spring, 1961), pp. 232-239
Published by: Wisconsin Historical Society
Pair of antique Saxon wheellock pistols. These unique specimens, 30 inches in length, bear the marks of Zacharias Herold, court gunsmith at Dresden, 1584-1628, and of the gunsmith, Hans Fleischer, also active for the Saxonian court from 1575 to about 1610. They were probably designed and executed by these artisans for Johann Georg (March 15, 1585-October 18, 1656), Administrator of the Archdiocese of Merseburg-Dresden about 1610, and Archduke, 1611. The wheellocks bear the respective coats-of-arms of the Saxon Archduchy and the Archdiocese of Merseburg. The stocks are of hand-carved walnut, decorated with gold and engraved inlays of ivory.