Is this a thunder mug of some kind? Why 4 dolphins?

[cannonmn]

Here is some kind of short bronze cannon, weighs about 50 lbs.  It looks like it is designed to fire in the vertical position.  I thought it might be a thunder mug, and certainly it would work for that.  What puzzles me is the four dolphins or rings cast into it at 90 degree angles.  They must be for tying it down to something, right?

I've never run across anything like it in books.

The face thing around the vent looks like a Hindu diety of some kind.  That part of it sort of reminds me of objects from India.

Does anyone know where these are used and how they are used?  Is it a thunder mug, a petard, or what?

[intoodeep]

cannonmn,

 Interesting! Looks like one of those hubbly-bubbly things you see in a specialty store. Anyway, what is the size of the vent (looks a bit over-sized in the photo)? Is there some sort of cup to retain powder or would it just run out when in the vertical position? Maybe it was designed to fire from the horizontal position.

 Sorry for all the questions as I don't have your answers. It's a nice looking piece none the less.

[lance]

  maybe an incense burner?

[seacoastartillery]

     Very unique piece; we vote for a reduced scale Petard.  After all, it has the four rings of most Petards to facilitate moving it and securing it to the castle gate or door with ropes.  It also has a vent that appears to be designed for horizontal firing like a Petard in use would be.   The base is more like a thunder mug, but it still has more features of a Petard.  Maybe a presentation model, much smaller than the real thing, to be presented to the leader of the successful assault troops?  Just conjecture here, never saw one like it, ever!!

Tracy and Mike

[cannonmn]

The vent is very large, about 1 inch diameter at the extreme, and more or less a perfectly round hole.  There really isn't a proper shelf to hold ignition powder if this were used in the vertical position; the big round vent would let the powder run out if used vertically, unless a wooden plug was used in the hole.  I agree that the four tie-downs are petard-like.   The holes in the four ears or dolphins are over 5/8 inch diameter, so you could put some fairly strong rope through them.  The holes are quite round, as if intended for rope.  If they were only decorative, I guess I wouldn't expect a perfectly round shape .  The bore on the thing is about 1 3/4 inches diameter.  We'll probably never know for sure what this was used for until we find an old painting or drawing of one being used.   

[cannonmn]

Dredging this one up to see if anyone who joined since it was posted can help.  I still think it is some kinda thunder mug, and since there's a lot more interest in those things than when I posted this, thoght I'd try it again.

[GGaskill]

I still think it is some kinda thunder mug, ...

Yeah, but the powder would have to be held in some kind of bag and even then, you would get as much blast from the vent as the muzzle.

[cannonmn]

I think you have to imagine that when it was new, it had a much smaller vent.  Thundermugs for some reason are very hard on their vents.  I think I've seen more with grossly burned-out enlarged vents than with normal=sized vents.

[thelionspaw]

As an educated guess, I'd offer that the rings are to lash it down in a primitive cradle. It appears to me to be a reproduction of a 14th c. piece.



I have the following on file: Replica cannon based on the Loshut Cannon, found in Sweden and dating from 1326. This cannon is now residing in the Crecy Museum, Crecy, France; as an example of what saw use during the Battle of Crecy.

Does this make sense?  One never knows; do one?

rc