Good question, I've never seen the details explained, we'll have to wait and see if anyone knows. There's a good article in "Guns and Ammo" magazine ca. 1972, on the Lantaka and Lela (name for them in other islands.) I have a fading copy filed somewhere but someone can probably dig one up before I find mine. The author was P. Badillo, a Filipino antiques dealer who also had shops in Hawaii. I was in his shop in Manila once and there was the Lantaka to beat all Lantakas there-wouldn't you know I didn't have my camera with me then. The thing was about 7 or 8 feet long and the casting details were as fine as any European bronze cannon I've ever seen-surface smooth as glass, with an even, very dark patina. The decoration, wrapped all around the cannon, was grapes on grape vines, and some other floral stuff. I wish I had had $15K at the time (1970's) because I probably would have bought it. I have never seen one that good since then. I know Ferdinand Marcos had a big Lantaka collection, maybe he got it eventually?
