Firearms like this are most commonly found in European museum collections and are rare on the public market. They were mainly manufactured in the 17th century and are often identified as hand mortars or grenade launchers, but it is believed many, especially the ornamented examples, were actually used for launching fireworks. The brass multi-stage barrel is decorated with rings and a band of floral scrollwork. The antechamber for holding the powder charge on this example is around .72 caliber while the main bore for the projectile is around 1 3/4 inches. The lock has no visible markings and has light engraving. The fruitwood stock is inlaid with staghorn and engraved with fruit, scrolls, bestial motifs, and figures on the roundels on either side of the butt probably representing a German furst and his wife.