The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 21, 2025

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

Did You Know?

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.
  • ?-1916
    Frank Gair Macomber (1849-1941), Boston, MA, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art
    1916-
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • 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
  • Armor Court Reinstallation. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer).
  • {{cite web|title=Linstock|url=false|author=|year=c. 1600–25|access-date=21 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

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