Author Topic: Bronze cannon, 2 1/8'' bore, 40'' total length. (Read 1228 times)

Cannoneer · « **on:** July 27, 2011, 02:30:23 PM »

Does anyone have any thoughts on this gun, or the description of it supplied by the auction house?

http://www.amoskeagauction.com/82/310.html

Zulu · « **Reply #1 on:** July 27, 2011, 02:41:52 PM »

Cannoneer,
I think $8050 was too much to pay for a gun of questionable origion. This easily could be some type of reproduction.
Zulu

cannonmn · « **Reply #2 on:** July 27, 2011, 02:52:01 PM »

Quote

I think $8050 was too much to pay for a gun of questionable origion. This easily could be some type of reproduction.

I can guarantee you that was an original, historic piece. I think if I didn't already have a load of them, I'd pay that (due to auctioneer premiums the final price is a good deal more than the hammer price if that's what $8050. was.) You could have a piece of history and also not worry about shooting it, they were made with great care and I've never seen one with flaws in it, and I've seen dozens and dozens of those.

Specifically, it is a French Navy "Pierrier" Model 1786. It was their standard ship's swivel gun of that era. They produced, musta been, thousands of them by many different arsenals and private foundries. These are pretty well-covered in "Boarders Away II" by Gilkerson. That book is the best source of info for swivel guns and swivel howitzers, has maybe 30 pages on that subject, with lots of photos of extant pieces and some photos of important archives documents. This model isn't rare, I think I've seen hundreds of them, and there are five here. Two are an identical pair with no marks remaining, and strangely, 2.5 inch bores and an extra ring near the breech which I guess was to tell the gunners this was the large-bore variant. The others have 2-inch bores and all come from different makers.

You can see two of these M1786 in my you-tube video on swivel guns.

Double D · « **Reply #3 on:** July 27, 2011, 02:55:30 PM »

John,

I think you paid to much for it also, but bring it to Montana and we will shoot it!

RocklockI · « **Reply #4 on:** July 27, 2011, 04:25:16 PM »

it sounds well worth the price to me !

Cannoneer · « **Reply #5 on:** July 27, 2011, 06:45:22 PM »

John,
I must say that I’m truly impressed by the way you’re picking up on this stuff. Ha, ha! Thanks for making me aware of Gilkerson a few years ago.

Cannoneer · « **Reply #6 on:** July 28, 2011, 11:03:07 AM »

Quote from: Double D on July 27, 2011, 02:55:30 PM

John,

I think you paid to much for it also, but bring it to Montana and we will shoot it!

Douglas,
When I first read this yesterday I just assumed that you were talking to cannonmn, because I think that both of us know I couldn't afford to spend 8 grand on a cannon, that is unless I also planned on getting divorced and/or murdered. Now after rereading it today I think you may have been making a joke; very funny! Seriously though, I'd love to have one of these French bronze beauties; I'd feel safe firing it, two guys could move it with relative ease, and it would fit right in the back of my Explorer. So if I did have this danged swivel gun, I just might throw it the back of my ride and head out to Cutbank, but there are two things that would then also be for certain: I'd be alone, and I wouldn't have to waste any time calling home.

Zulu · « **Reply #7 on:** July 28, 2011, 12:02:51 PM »

Quote from: Cannoneer on July 28, 2011, 11:03:07 AM

Quote from: Double D on July 27, 2011, 02:55:30 PM
John,

I think you paid to much for it also, but bring it to Montana and we will shoot it!

Douglas,
When I first read this yesterday I just assumed that you were talking to cannonmn, because I think that both of us know I couldn't afford to spend 8 grand on a cannon, that is unless I also planned on getting divorced and/or murdered. Now after rereading it today I think you may have been making a joke; very funny! Seriously though, I'd love to have one of these French bronze beauties; I'd feel safe firing it, two guys could move it with relative ease, and it would fit right in the back of my Explorer. So if I did have this danged swivel gun, I just might throw it the back of my ride and head out to Cutbank, but there are two things that would then also be for certain: I'd be alone, and I wouldn't have to waste any time calling home.

Cannoneer,
I'll bet you will miss her.

Zulu

Double D · « **Reply #8 on:** July 28, 2011, 01:12:40 PM »

Quote from: Cannoneer on July 28, 2011, 11:03:07 AM

Quote from: Double D on July 27, 2011, 02:55:30 PM
John,

I think you paid to much for it also, but bring it to Montana and we will shoot it!

Douglas,
When I first read this yesterday I just assumed that you were talking to cannonmn, because I think that both of us know I couldn't afford to spend 8 grand on a cannon, that is unless I also planned on getting divorced and/or murdered. Now after rereading it today I think you may have been making a joke; very funny! Seriously though, I'd love to have one of these French bronze beauties; I'd feel safe firing it, two guys could move it with relative ease, and it would fit right in the back of my Explorer. So if I did have this danged swivel gun, I just might throw it the back of my ride and head out to Cutbank, but there are two things that would then also be for certain: I'd be alone, and I wouldn't have to waste any time calling home.

Yes my wonderful sense of humor got the best of me...and yes i still warmly remember the lovely wife's admonition that it was all right to spend the money, what do we need to buy food for...

Cannoneer · « **Reply #9 on:** July 30, 2011, 07:11:39 AM »

Quote from: Zulu on July 28, 2011, 12:02:51 PM

Quote from: Cannoneer on July 28, 2011, 11:03:07 AM
Quote from: Double D on July 27, 2011, 02:55:30 PM
John,

I think you paid to much for it also, but bring it to Montana and we will shoot it!

Douglas,
When I first read this yesterday I just assumed that you were talking to cannonmn, because I think that both of us know I couldn't afford to spend 8 grand on a cannon, that is unless I also planned on getting divorced and/or murdered. Now after rereading it today I think you may have been making a joke; very funny! Seriously though, I'd love to have one of these French bronze beauties; I'd feel safe firing it, two guys could move it with relative ease, and it would fit right in the back of my Explorer. So if I did have this danged swivel gun, I just might throw it the back of my ride and head out to Cutbank, but there are two things that would then also be for certain: I'd be alone, and I wouldn't have to waste any time calling home.

Cannoneer,
I'll bet you will miss her.
Zulu

Well Zulu, I'll tell you, that while the thought's certainly worthy of consideration, I guess I'm just a sentimental slob at heart, because I'd end up deciding to keep the poor girl; but if the item in question happened to be an M1857 12-pounder 'Napoleon', things just mght have to be reevaluated.

Double D · « **Reply #10 on:** July 30, 2011, 08:59:06 AM »

Quote from: Cannoneer on July 30, 2011, 07:11:39 AM

Well Zulu, I'll tell you, that while the thought's certainly worthy of consideration, I guess I'm just a sentimental slob at heart, because I'd end up deciding to keep the poor girl; but if the item in question happened to be an M1857 12-pounder 'Napoleon', things just mght have to be reevaluated.

John,

Is it safe to say, she doesn't read this board...or perhaps you do like I use to do and say something to her like, Here you want to read something funny I wrote about you... she always thought it was funny and would call me butt head...I think she was being affectionate...she was wasn't she?

cannonmn · « **Reply #11 on:** July 31, 2011, 01:38:41 AM »

Come to think of it, I used one of the "large bore" M1786's in my TV debut on "Mythbusters." You can probably find it online somewhere, think it was called "Tree Cannon" where the boys made a cannon out of a tree, had it bound with iron straps shrunk on, etc. I should have used friction primers as I normally do but could not find them that day. I have to say that those two boys learn fast, I didn't have to repeat anything. I think that was their very first cannon-firing adventure.

Cannoneer · « **Reply #12 on:** August 01, 2011, 04:02:37 AM »

Douglas,
Noooo, I've never felt the need to show her any of the amusing anecdotes I occasionally tell about her here. You've probably already guessed that I sometimes exaggerate certain aspects of her wonderful personality for humor's sake, but there's no exaggeration in this instance: If I paid over 8,000 bucks for an artillery piece, a bona fide war would ensue.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #13 on:** August 01, 2011, 05:56:41 AM »

I bought my wife a .357 Mag (S&W combat materpiece - 3T) before I bought her a ring. Some things one just has to check out before making a committment.

Later I bought her a S&W Chief's Special 5 shot .38. Had Bugs Bunny engraved on the side plate and 5 other characters on the cylinder.

When she asked a couple of years ago how much the rifle I was buying cost, I mentioned it cost a bit more than the car we were driving. Not a flinch.

Having an understanding lady for a rib is wonderful! And yes, I share most of the humor with her.

Double D · « **Reply #14 on:** August 01, 2011, 06:27:56 PM »

Quote from: Cannoneer on August 01, 2011, 04:02:37 AM

Douglas,
Noooo, I've never felt the need to show her any of the amusing anecdotes I occasionally tell about her here. You've probably already guessed that I sometimes exaggerate certain aspects of her wonderful personality for humor's sake, but there's no exaggeration in this instance: If I paid over 8,000 bucks for an artillery piece, a bona fide war would ensue.

I couldn't have made enough funny haha's if I spent that much either...

.

Cannoneer · « **Reply #15 on:** August 02, 2011, 06:17:54 AM »

DD,
Can you imagine how nice I'd have to be, and for how long a period of time I'd have to remain nice, in order for her to agree with my buying an 8K artillery item? Why just the thought of it makes me reel with dizziness.

Double D · « **Reply #16 on:** August 02, 2011, 06:47:28 AM »

Quote from: Cannoneer on August 02, 2011, 06:17:54 AM

DD,
Can you imagine how nice I'd have to be, and for how long a period of time I'd have to remain nice, in order for her to agree with my buying an 8K artillery item? Why just the thought of it makes me reel with dizziness.

Ah yes do understand. I still have the memories. They stay with you for ever. Katherine has been gone now 4 months, but I still have moments when I think "If I do that she will be so mad at me..." In the past those moments would make me cringe, now they make me smile.