Crocodile cannon supposed to be antique, another crock of ...... from

[cannonmn]

http://san1.atlanta.gbhinc.com/GB/106166000/106166756/pix2217889671.jpg

[Terry C.]

I see those for sale on eBay.

They don't come cheap...

[dan610324]

is there really people buying such junk ??
whats the starting price ??

[Terry C.]

These are primarily offered on eBay by a Malaysian seller of antiques from Borneo. This seller has a 99.6% positive feedback rating.

Supposedly, these miniature crocodile-shaped cannon are 80-100 years old, and were once used "as currency" in Borneo.

Whether or not any of this is true, I can't say. A lot of items were produced solely for trade in those days, it's not outside the realm of possibility that these were once desirable to some in the import/export business. And if that's true then any value they might have as cannon is secondary to their curio value.

That said, I still think the BIN price of $1600 US (plus a hefty shipping fee) is ridiculous.


FWIW : This seller also lists antique bronze swivel guns.

[Squire Robin]

Supposedly, these miniature crocodile-shaped cannon are 80-100 years old, and were once used "as currency" in Borneo.
Whether or not any of this is true, I can't say. A lot of items were produced solely for trade in those days,

It's true.

The Dutch arrived in the East Indies wanting to trade, they asked the locals what they wanted and they wanted 16th century brionze swivel guns, called them Lantakas.

The Dutch immediately started to mass produce them in a variety of sizes. I have one, slightly bent, has a conical bore at around 10 gauge

[cannonmn]

I've seen hundreds, maybe thousands of lantakas, and have never seen an old one that was shaped like a crocodile on wheels.  I think the manufacture of these started as a souvenir thing in Asia not too long ago, then spread.