Running dogs and rabbits on the pistol suggest that it might have been used for hunting. This was a popular sport for the gentry as it provided food and exercise. Further decoration can be seen with two men carrying a gun and sword. These are usually thought of as weapons for the battlefield, but this pistol is so finely inlaid and engraved that it would not have stood up to constant or violent use and is more likely to be a trophy piece for display.

The pistol would have been made in sections by different craftsmen and could be taken apart for cleaning. The barrel and firing mechanism, called a wheel-lock because of the wheel-shaped part, are made of steel.

The wooden support and handle, called the stock, are probably made of a dark wood called ebony. This is where we get the phrase 'lock, stock and barrel' from. The wood is decorated with the precious materials, mother of pearl and stag horn. Some areas are stained green to look like trees and grass. Even the moving parts that fire the pistol are engraved.

We do not know the name of the maker, but because he created other similar pistols, he is called 'Master of the Castles'. All his pistols are marked as having been made in the German city of Nuremberg.

The pistol was bought in the early 20th century by Sir Guy Laking, who worked at the Royal Armouries, on behalf of Miss Alice de Rothschild. She collected pistols and other weapons to decorate the walls of her home at Waddesdon Manor, a historic method of display of wealth and power.