Author Topic: Flea Mkt at Hillsville VA this weekend - cannons? (Read 1380 times)

Cat Whisperer · « **on:** August 29, 2008, 10:39:01 AM »

Hillsville, VA - tonight, Sat, Sun, Mon.

Likely to be several hundred thousand folks there for the flea market and gun show.

I usually see half a dozen cannons - from decoations to some serious ones.

Pictures will follow.

dan610324 · « **Reply #1 on:** August 29, 2008, 02:53:53 PM »

ooooohhh pictures yes thanks

KABAR2 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 29, 2008, 03:31:06 PM »

Mumble.......Grumble..........$%#&@ I have to finish working on the house so I can't get there this weekend.......... Maybe next year

Hope you find something good!

cannonmn · « **Reply #3 on:** August 30, 2008, 10:45:24 PM »

If you see an original "small" Dahlgren boat howitzer with 300 lb. tube, or even just the original tube, I'd be interested. That's still at the top of my want list. There have to be a few of those things tucked away in garages and basements, maybe even in someone's attic somewhere.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #4 on:** August 31, 2008, 02:28:32 AM »

I will of course look. This year I'm only going down MONDAY morning. If you email me (or PM) your phone # I can call. Of course if I see such I'll gather all pertenant data - like pictures and ventor's name/phone.

coehorn - at - g mail dot com

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #5 on:** September 01, 2008, 08:12:35 AM »

Here are the first 6 pix - over all it was a little thin - as expected on MONDAY AM. Saturday was the BIG day.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #6 on:** September 01, 2008, 08:21:46 AM »

Bronze swivel cannon.

About 4' long.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #7 on:** September 01, 2008, 08:38:42 AM »

And the last ones.

dan610324 · « **Reply #8 on:** September 01, 2008, 08:40:42 AM »

oooohhh that mortar looks nice , the larger and older one .
do you remember any price ??

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #9 on:** September 01, 2008, 08:41:55 AM »

I have the name and phone # of the vendor with the last sets of cannons.

Send a PM.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #10 on:** September 01, 2008, 08:43:20 AM »

Quote from: dan610324 on September 01, 2008, 08:40:42 AM

oooohhh that mortar looks nice , the larger and older one .
do you remember any price ??

Didn't see the price. But the price on the small cannon in front should be an indicator that it wasn't cheap.

dan610324 · « **Reply #11 on:** September 01, 2008, 08:46:26 AM »

yeah , and he probably also have it with him back home .

cannonmn · « **Reply #12 on:** September 02, 2008, 11:32:16 PM »

The lantakas in the photos look like reproductions to me, the patina is either too even or wrong, there's no corrosion evident, the design of some part is slightly different, somethin' ain't right. The reproductions are usually too light also, since they are plaster covered with a thin brass envelope. If anyone tries to shoot one it will likely blow up on the first shot.

dan610324 · « **Reply #13 on:** September 03, 2008, 01:55:07 AM »

yeah they produce lots of them and especially voc cannons in the philiphines

many larger models are filled with plaster or concrete

most of them are of an very low quality and its easy to that its an reproduction
but some are well made .

then its an good idea to take out the pocket calculator and do some mathematics to see what the weight should be , then weight it .

cannonmn · « **Reply #14 on:** September 03, 2008, 10:53:33 AM »

You can also look down the vent and the bore with a good flashlight. Many times you can see bare plaster down either of those holes if you have a good maglight or similar. You could also put a sharp-ended allthread rod or something down the bore and scrape a bit to see if any plaster comes out.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #15 on:** September 03, 2008, 01:43:25 PM »

All of the ones that I saw were well used - visible corrosion from much firing on the inside of the bores. Lots of small dings from much handling. If repros they were well used.

Color - take into account that I was NOT using a flash rather using ambiant light. Some was daylight filtering in from windows the rest was flourescent. I have no idea of what color balance I had the camera set at. To me they looked like old bronze. The fellow mentioned where he went to procure them - far East (well past the Phillipenes).

I'll take no other guesses to their heritage. There's lots of stuff out there and the best bet of finding out where they came from would be to trace their path - first step: ask the vendor.

Cannoneer · « **Reply #16 on:** September 04, 2008, 07:15:44 AM »

Cat,

Did the vendor describe these as working models, and do you have any idea of the original purpose of the wheels?

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #17 on:** September 04, 2008, 12:30:01 PM »

Quote from: Boom J on September 04, 2008, 07:15:44 AM

Cat,
Did the vendor describe these as working models, and do you have any idea of the original purpose of the wheels?
...

Definately lawn ornaments. Tubes were drill casing filled completely with concrete. But from a distance they looked good.

Artilleryman · « **Reply #18 on:** September 04, 2008, 02:03:05 PM »

Wheels remind me of old farm tractor wheels.

Cannoneer · « **Reply #19 on:** September 04, 2008, 05:10:58 PM »

Quote from: Artilleryman on September 04, 2008, 02:03:05 PM

Wheels remind me of old farm tractor wheels.

I've been wondering what they were really intended to be ever since I saw them, they're no bigger than the tire in the foreground and the guy that's welding these pieces together must have a source where he's getting them from.