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Early firearms required many different tools to operate. These tools did not have to remain purely practical but could be decorated and embellished. A spanner was integral to a wheel lock gun. The wheel lock works by spinning a spring-loaded steel wheel against a piece of pyrite to generate intense sparks, which ignite gunpowder in a pan, which flashes through a small touchhole to ignite the main charge in the firearm's barrel. The spanner was needed to turn the wheel and spring, readying the gun to be fired.
Page data
- Page
- 1
- Source index
- 0
- Type
- photo
- Media ID
- 08dc1f9c716efa66
- Size
- unknown
Document data
- ID
- 166332
- Core
- obj
- Type
- object
DTO data
{
"id": "166332",
"contentType": "object",
"title": "Spanner for a Wheel Lock Gun",
"description": "Early firearms required many different tools to operate. These tools did not have to remain purely practical but could be decorated and embellished. A spanner was integral to a wheel lock gun. The wheel lock works by spinning a spring-loaded steel wheel against a piece of pyrite to generate intense sparks, which ignite gunpowder in a pan, which flashes through a small touchhole to ignite the main charge in the firearm's barrel. The spanner was needed to turn the wheel and spring, readying the gun to be fired.",
"date": "1600s",
"citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/2008.171",
"rights": "CC0",
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"imageCount": 1,
"source": "import",
"dimensionsRaw": "Overall: 16.5 x 2.5 cm (6 1/2 x 1 in.)",
"cul": [
"Germany"
],
"accession": "2008.171"
}
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Document identity
{
"localId": "166332",
"label": "Spanner for a Wheel Lock Gun",
"core": "obj",
"dtoType": "object"
}
Document source metadata
{
"id": "166332",
"contentType": "object",
"title": "Spanner for a Wheel Lock Gun",
"description": "Early firearms required many different tools to operate. These tools did not have to remain purely practical but could be decorated and embellished. A spanner was integral to a wheel lock gun. The wheel lock works by spinning a spring-loaded steel wheel against a piece of pyrite to generate intense sparks, which ignite gunpowder in a pan, which flashes through a small touchhole to ignite the main charge in the firearm's barrel. The spanner was needed to turn the wheel and spring, readying the gun to be fired.",
"date": "1600s",
"citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/2008.171",
"rights": "CC0",
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"language": "en",
"wikidata": [
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"iiifBase": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2008.171/2008.171_web.jpg",
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"largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2008.171/2008.171_web.jpg",
"imageCount": 1,
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"cul": [
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}
Document source extras
{
"tec": "steel",
"tombstone": "Spanner for a Wheel Lock Gun, 1600s. Germany. Steel; overall: 16.5 x 2.5 cm (6 1/2 x 1 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Dr. Marvin Shie, 2008.171",
"collection": "MED - Arms & Armor",
"didYouKnow": "This spanner operated a wheel-lock mechanism that enabled a gun to fire.",
"url": "https://clevelandart.org/art/2008.171",
"creditline": "Gift of Dr. Marvin Shie",
"updatedAt": "2026-05-29 08:35:04.193000",
"imageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2008.171/2008.171_print.jpg",
"sourceId": 166332,
"dept": "Medieval Art",
"coll": "MED - Arms & Armor",
"med": "steel",
"thumbnail_url": null,
"image_url": null
}
Page context
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