Cieszynkas are small-calibre hunting rifles for hunting sitting birds. There were made in Cieszyn from the second half of the 16th century onward, but came into their own in the 17th century specifically when they began to be bought by wealthy individuals who not only appreciated the guns’ performance but also the beauty of the marquetry and incrustation they were decorated with. Apart from their decoration cieszynkas were distinguished by the special construction of the lock, the so-called Kurland lock. From the 16th to the 18th century there was a guild of gunsmiths working in Cieszyn, building cieszynkas and other guns decorated in the Cieszyn style. Gunsmiths from other towns began to decorate their guns in a similar way.
      Owing to the enormous demand for cieszynkas the town authorities would often buy them as presents for neighbouring dignitaries. They remain some of the most sought-after guns among collectors of antique weaponry. Around 300 examples of cieszynkas can be found in museums and collections around the world. The Museum of Cieszyn Silesia has four examples.