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Combination Hunting Dagger and Double-Barrel Percussion Pistol, Sheath, and Belt of Emperor Maximilian of Mexico

A work made of steel, brass, silver, gilding, leather, silk velvet, and silver-gilt thread.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of steel, brass, silver, gilding, leather, silk velvet, and silver-gilt thread.

Date:

1864/67

Artist:

Joseph-Célestin Dumonthier
France, Paris, active 1850–1900

About this artwork

In 1840 the Parisian gunsmith Dumonthier patented his popular hunting knife with double pistols. This weapon artfully combines two percussion pistols with a knife. The hunter used it to deal the final coup de grace, or mercy blow, to the wounded game.

The crowned monogram engraved over the silver-gilt belt buckle has been identified as belonging to Maximilian, the short-lived Habsburg Emperor of Mexico. The monarch apparently practiced the European court tradition of hunting in Central America.

Status

On View, Gallery 239

Department

Applied Arts of Europe

Artist

Joseph-Célestin Dumonthier

Title

Combination Hunting Dagger and Double-Barrel Percussion Pistol, Sheath, and Belt of Emperor Maximilian of Mexico

Place

Paris (Object made in)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Made 1854–1877

Medium

Steel, brass, silver, gilding, leather, silk velvet, and silver-gilt thread

Dimensions

L. 33.4 cm (13 1/16 in.) Blade L. 22.1 cm (8 13/16 in.) Wt. 1 lb. Caliber .36

Credit Line

George F. Harding Collection

Reference Number

1982.2134a-c

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/106235/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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