Candy Store

[cannonmn]

The slideshow at the link below contains 50 images of some of the artillery in the Watervliet Arsenal Museum.

According to the interim curator at Watervliet, Mr. Bob Pfeil, during the 1950's the Arsenal moved most of the cannons still on display outside, to the inside of the museum. No cleaning or other treatment was performed.

I inspected these cannons closely and took close-up photos of the details of most of them (detail photos not included in the limited slideshow.) On average, the bronze cannons inside the museum are in much better condition than the still-deteriorating bronze cannons displayed outdoors at Fort McNair, Washington DC.

One notable exception is the pair of Verbruggen light 3-pounder guns pictured in the slideshow. Those guns were displayed on the outside of a building in New York City until sometime in the 20th C. They show considerable environmental corrosion which has made their engraved markings very difficult to read.


http://s17.photobucket.com/albums/b62/cannonmn/miscforumsetc/forums%2020/?action=view&current=c85640fc.pbw

[thelionspaw]

A nice place.  When were you there?  I return regularly. I've watched it evolve over the years. Many moons ago I was asked to demonstrate my breechblock by the commanding General of the Army Ordinance Corps.  After, he wanted it for the museum as an in-place exhibit. They had a special pour and cast a 2 pdr ball for me. Later on, my cousin was a Colonel there but now I think she is in the Middle East. I hope you at least bought one to their coffee mugs before you left.  Thanks for the great photo presentation.

Richard

[thelionspaw]

Here they are!

[cannonmn]

Richard, I took the photos in mid-July.  It was raining hard outside, and the roof of the museum has many leaks, leaving the inside at 100% relative humidity.  I was sweating like a pig, I'm sure it was the humidity and had nothing to do with being immersed in all that antique bronze.  I was there on a Sunday and no shop was open, in fact I didn't even see one, maybe it is a thing of the past.

[thelionspaw]

Like anything else in the place, don't expect finishing touches.  The person that took you around, has the mugs under the counter in the first area to the left.  $8 ea..  The condition of the equipment outside is criminal.  You would think that the US Army had more than enough FREE labor for maintenance.  I remember when I was in, my company mowed the parade ground where I was, on our hands and knees with our DULL mess-kit knives.

Richard "The Abused"

[dan610324]

I got to ask you John , is all those pictures from the museum exhibition or are the first part from an stoorage room ??

[cannonmn]

Dan, all the photos were taken in the Watervliet Arsenal Museum.  The front room has the formal exhibits, nicely displayed in showcases, etc.  The back room is full of cannons that as you can see are not placed in neat displays at this time.  I don't know if they ever were.  The important thing to me is that they are under a roof and out of the rain.  It takes money to build displays and I suspect the museum does not get enough money to put most of the cannons in pretty displays.