Bomb Tail, Depth Charge and Beer Tray   Crossbow   Dagger   Flintlock Musket   Gas Mask for a Baby   Gunpowder Flask    < prev | next > BACK  HIDE DESCRIPTION Bomb Tail and Case MANUFACTURER Advertising Tablet Co, Ltd, Birmingham DATE c.1943 MATERIAL Steel, paint, card, textile DIMENSIONS 725x355x350 PROVENANCE Private gift in 1990 LOCATION MCC BACK  HIDE DESCRIPTION Crossbow INVENTOR/DESIGNER Unknown, probably German DATE Early 17th MATERIAL Wood, ivory, steel DIMENSIONS 110x490x310 PROVENANCE Purchased by Guardians of the Gun Proof House in the 1860s; Transferred from Gun Proof House in 1885 LOCATION MCC BACK  HIDE DESCRIPTION Dagger MANUFACTURER Unknown DATE c.1600 MATERIAL Steel DIMENSIONS 360x25x75 PROVENANCE Transferred from Gun Proof House in 1885 LOCATION MCC BACK  HIDE DESCRIPTION Flintlock Musket MANUFACTURER Robert Wheeler, Birmingham, Britain DATE c.1790 MATERIAL Steel, wood, flint DIMENSIONS 235x340x85 PROVENANCE Transferred from Birmingham City Library in 1990 LOCATION Thinktank BACK  HIDE DESCRIPTION Gas Mask for a Baby MANUFACTURER L and B R Company, Britain DATE 1939-1940 MATERIAL textile, rubber, organic fibre, steel DIMENSIONS 300x550x36 PROVENANCE Private gift in 1986 LOCATION Thinktank BACK  HIDE DESCRIPTION Gunpowder Priming Flask MANUFACTURER Unknown, possibly German DATE c.1600 MATERIAL Steel, ivory DIMENSIONS 210x80x25 PROVENANCE Transferred from Gun Proof House in 1885 LOCATION MCC BACK  HIDE DESCRIPTION Hawker fighter aircraft Hurricane Mark IV, Serial No KX 829 MANUFACTURER Hawker Aircraft Ltd, Kingston & Langley, Britain INVENTOR/DESIGNER Sydney Camm (1893-1966), British DATE 1943 MATERIAL Steel, duraluminium, glass, wood, rubber, textile, paint, copper alloy DIMENSIONS 3970x9600x12260 PROVENANCE Gift from Loughborough College of Technology in 1961 LOCATION Thinktank BACK Weapons are the core of the Science and Industry Collection. Continental and foreign weapons accumulated at the Gun Barrel Proof House were passed in 1885 to the newly established Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. Today, the collection of weapons contains about 3,000 artefacts covering the period from the late Middle Ages to the Second World War. They range from medieval bows to modern firearms and munitions, and represent the production of Oriental, European, British, and particularly local Birmingham gun makers and sword cutlers, who in the early 19th century established the well-known reputation of Birmingham. In the modern times, their reputation was succeeded by famous local firms and companies, such as BSA, or Webley & Scott. Some artefacts reflect not only a level of technology, but also recall personal stories, like the flintlock muskets bought by Matthew Boulton to defend the Soho factory from the mob during the Birmingham Riots of 1791. These objects can be seen at Thinktank, and also at MCC by appointment.

©Thinktank Trust 2006 | Contact Us | Copyright & Disclaimer | Links