A gun-shield from the arsenal of Henry VIII. Consisting of a circular laminated wood shield with a breech loading matchlock gun mounted through a central ferrous boss with a sighting grill above. Ten ferrous plates and strips radiate from the boss to cover front side of the shield, the plates decorated with painted foliate designs. The back of the shield is upholstered with yellow textile and a red pad with traces of leather straps, some  for the arm.

There are two distinct types of gun-shield, a light version with Italianate decoration and a slender gun mounted in the upper part of the shield and a less refined, more heavily constructed gun-shield, like this example, where a large gun is mounted in the centre protruding from a boss.

These gun-shields are listed in the 1547 inventory taken after Henry VIII's death as targettes steild wt gonnes xxxv. They are thought to be of Italian origin as they were one of the inventions offered to Henry VIII in a letter of  19th March 1544 by an Italian painter Maestro Giovani Battista of Ravenna where they are described as several round shields and arm pieces with guns inside them that fire upon the enemy and pierce any armour.

Recent study has identified that the red and yellow upholstery on the heavier style gun-shields date from 1544 and are the livery colours of Henry VIII's household, issued for the first time in that year. Also that the heavier style gun-shields are possibly converted from plain shields, thus suggesting they maybe an English version of the Italian type of gun-shield.

The majority of the gun-shields (about 45) are preserved in the Royal Collection and at The Royal Armouries, the remains of eight were found on the wreck of the Mary Rose, Henry VIII's warship which sank outside Portsmouth in 1545. A few  examples are now in other collections such as The Victoria & Albert Museum, London, The Metropolitan Museum, New York, The Chicago Art Institute, The Higgins Armoury Museum, Worcester and the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore.

Publications
Metcalf, S D, North, A, Balfour, D. 2005. The Conservation of a gun-shield from the Arsenal of Henry VIII. in Make all sure; the Conservation and restoration of Arms & Armour. Basiliscoe Press, Leeds.