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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;springfld.arsenal, post: 405194, member: 54&quot;]This miniature cannon has bronze barrel, steel hardware, wood carriage. Barrel is about 15” long, whole thing weighs about 50 lbs.&nbsp; Not mine yet but should be headed my way via a short chain of folks I’ve encouraged to buy it.&nbsp; Last in chain finally has it and we’ve agreed on terms.&nbsp; Sometimes these things take time.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>Whatzit?&nbsp; It is an exact scale model of a merchant ship’s “insurance gun” they were required to carry in order to be underwritten by Lloyd’s of London.&nbsp; Was not made to shoot because due to the exact scale, the vent is too small to be used for igniting a charge.&nbsp; Fortunately no one has polished it!&nbsp; I’ve never seen a scale model of this type cannon before.&nbsp; Many iron barrels from real antique insurance guns of this type survive, but very few carriages.&nbsp; I’ve only seen a few original, full-sized bronze barrels of this general style.&nbsp; I’m guessing this item was made either as a salesman’s sample or for presentation.&nbsp; It is completely unmarked.&nbsp; It is somewhat remarkable that it is basically complete; there may have been a quoin to provide elevation for the barrel, but that’s a minor loss.&nbsp; The bronze casting or finishing is top - notch.&nbsp; Needs further research.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]141172[/ATTACH] </p><p>[ATTACH=full]141173[/ATTACH] </p><p>[ATTACH=full]141174[/ATTACH] </p><p>[ATTACH=full]141175[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]141176[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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