Cased Six-Barreled Revolving Percussion Pistol ("Pepperbox") 1842 - 1847

Ethan Allen made this cased six-barreled revolving percussion pistol, or ‘pepperbox’, sometime in the mid-19th century. It presents us with interesting questions about American society and culture. In this period, the right to bear arms was becoming a contentious issue. The pepperbox, with its multiple barrels, represented an escalation of personal firepower. While this could be seen as a symbol of individual empowerment, it also hinted at the potential for increased violence and disorder in a rapidly changing society. Allen marketed this to the middle classes, keen to signal their status. The box itself, the elaborate decoration on the weapon, and the ivory handle were designed to show taste and sophistication. So, while the pepperbox speaks to the democratization of violence, it also reveals the social stratification of the time. Objects like this require us to consider diverse sources; census records, newspapers and commercial data all help us understand the social and institutional contexts of its production.