The Transformation from Weaponry to Artistry

In 1836, Samuel Colt received U.S. patent number 138 for his "repeating pistols." This event sparked not just a commercial endeavor, but a movement toward viewing and developing firearms as both weapon and decorative art form—a means to express one's personal style and aesthetic.
Spanning more than 150 years of artistry, Pistols: Dazzling Firearms presents more than 50 decorative and historically important American firearms. The first firearms exhibition drawn from the Autry National Center's extensive collection explores the political, social, and historical aspects of decorative pistols alongside the influence of iconic Western painting and the artistic talent of firearms engravers.

Take a look at some of the more notable highlights.

Wild Bill Hickok's Model 1851 Navy Revolver
Annie Oakley’s Smith and Wessons
Gene Autry’s special Tiffany-designed Dragoon

Click on thumbnail for close-up.
“Tiffany” grips, named for the lush Victorian taste in embellishment found in many of Tiffany & Co. famed silver pieces, were mass-produced between 1861 and 1880. The motifs apparent in the embellishment served to tell a story.