The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of August 12, 2022

Linstock

c. 1600–25

France, 17th century

Steel; octagonal wood haft covered with green velvet, brass studs

Overall: 201 cm (79 1/8 in.); Blade: 25.2 cm (9 15/16 in.)

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance 1916.1786

Location

210A Armor Court

Fun Fact

The tapestries and weaponry adorning the walls of the Armor Court are not props. Located near the portrait of Agostino Barbarigo, this linstock hangs to the far right of a grouping of weapons. The blade ends in a double snake design and is attached to a solid wood handle.

Description

This specialized staff weapon was used primarily to ignite the charge in pieces of artillery. The two lateral projections ending in eagles' heads are actually clips designed to hold the smoldering matches that allowed the firer to stand a little further from the cannon. The short, leaf-shaped blade allowed the linstock to be used as a weapon if necessary.

Provenance
?-1916
Frank Gair Macomber (1849-1941), Boston, MA, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art
1916-
The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
Citations
Catalogue of Arms and Armour. [Boston, Massachusetts]: [Frank Gair Macomber], 1900. Cat. no. 403 archive.org
Gilchrist, Helen Ives. A Catalogue of the Collection of Arms & Armor Presented to the Cleveland Museum of Art by Mr. and Mrs. John Long Severance; 1916-1923. Cleveland: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1924. Mentioned: p. 201, H64 archive.org
Fliegel, Stephen N. Arms and Armor: The Cleveland Museum of Art. [Cleveland, Ohio]: The Museum, 1998. pp. 126, 167; cat. no. 108
Fliegel, Stephen N. Arms & Armor: The Cleveland Museum of Art. [Cleveland, Ohio]: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2007. cat. no. 114, p. 187-188
Exhibition history

Armor Court Reinstallation. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer).

Source URL: https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1916.1786