Very rare pair of American Revolutionary War era iron cannons!

This is an extremely rare matched pair of American Revolutionary War era iron cannons!

Specifications for both cannons:

Total barrel Length: 32 1/4 inches

Center of Trunnion to Breech Length: 12.5 inches.

Breech Diameter: 6 inches.

Cannon Diameter at Trunnions: 4.5 inches.

End to End Trunnions Width: 7 3/4 inches.

Chase Diameter - Smallest Part of Cannon 3.5 inches.

Trunnion Length: 1 5/8 inch.

Trunnion Diameter: 1 5/8 inch.

Bore Diameter: 1 3/4 inch

Weight:

The cannon with markings P100: weight: 112.4 pounds

The cannon with markings P103: weight: 110.6 pounds

Markings:

Cannon #1 - P & 100

Cannon #2 - P & 103 Sold!

Background:

These rare cannons were purchased in the 1920s at Sotheby's Auction House and have been in one family for the last 75 years. They are being sold from a collectors extensive estate of rare antiques.

The photo below is what the cannon above looks like today after the buyer placed it on a new carriage.

British Iron Cannon

1750's United States Iron Plank Cannon

Iron Plank Cannon

Plank Cannon

This a great and very rare 18^th Century Iron Plank Cannon.

Measurements:

Length: 22inches

Diameter at muzzle: 3 inches and 4 ½ inches diameter at the breech

Bore: 1.25 inch (A one Pounder)

Weighs: 66 pounds

Top of cannon is marked Fort Ligonier, Oct 12, 1758.

Research below was obtained from a book written by Jacob L. Grimm, curator of the Carnegie Museum.

A plank cannon is mounted on a wooden plank and held in place by blacksmith made straps. These cannons are highly mobile and could be carried. The plank with cannon attached could be placed on top of the forts log entrenchment and fired at the enemy. The plank cannons could also be used on the rails of war ships. This cannon was excavated from Fort Ligonier, Pa in 1960. Fort Ligonier was built in 1758 along the Loyalhanna Creek at what is now Ligonier, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. The fort was built by Colonel James Burd a British officer with 1500 men under his command, on Sept. 3, 1758. The fort was used as a staging area in attaching French forces and their Indian allies. The fort was heavily attacked on June 21, 1758 but the attack was repelled. In 1766 the fort was decommissioned and no longer used.

Price: $2,250 US$ - plus shipping.

Overall length is 18.3 cm ( 7.2 in). Barrel cluster is 3 cm ( 1.18 in ) diameter. Bore size is approximately 7mm ( .28 cal). Matchlock ignition system. Origin unknown - found in South Korea - condition GREAT! Located in the USA now!

Bore: 3 inches

Tube Length: 46.5 inches

Breech Diameter: 10.25 inches

Muzzle Diameter at widest point: 7 inches

Wheel Height: 44 inches

Wheel Width: (Inside) 40 inches

Trunnion Diameter: 3.5 inches

Tube weight: 490 lbs. (222 kg.)

Danish naval cannon mounted on artillery chassis. This cannon dates from approximately 1780 to 1790 and was found in St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands. (Formerly a Danish Colony). The barrel has new stainless steel sleeve (Lawrence Cook, Cook Arsenal, Meriden, CT) which was done to allow firing of zinc balls for hobby firing. The barrel barrel has a three-inch bore. Sleeve has new touch hole machined for percussion system to allow firing by lanyard. Wheels and axle are from 1884 International Harvester U.S. Army ammo wagon. Wagon was used in WWI France. Wheels and axle installed because of forged steel axle and heavy wheels. Chassis came from the Great Danbury State Fair.

A Certificate of Authenticity is included in the sale!

Sold at: $11,500 US$ 9/01/2008

Located on the U. S. East Coast for FREE pick-up!

The St. Croix Cannon

This cannon was found on St. Croix, US Virgin Islands.

Island of St. Croix

First claimed by Spain, the island has had its share of bloody history. Christopher Columbus can upon St. Croix on November 14, 1493 during his second voyage to the Americas. He sent a crew ashore at St. Croix’s Salt River Inlet in search of potable water; there followed a brief confrontation with some of the island’s Taino inhabitants resulting in deaths on both sides.

European Battleground

After Columbus, the island became a battleground for European powers and changed hands many times over the centuries. The flags of Spain, Holland, France, England, and even the Knights of Malta flew over St. Croix at one time or another. The Dutch and English were among the first to establish themselves on St. Croix; and both powers had a presence on the island by 1625. Additionally, smugglers and pirates of the mid-1700s necessitated the construction of Fort Frederik in 1752.

Denmark purchased the Island of St. Croix from France in 1733. The Danes sold St. Croix to the US during WWI (1917) to prevent the isle from being used as a U-boat (submarine) base by the Germans.

Cannon History

The cannon barrel was found in the early 1970s. It was half-buried and being used as a decorative post. The barrel was restored and placed in a typical ship’s cannon mount. The cannon was brought to New England after hurricane Hugo in 1989. There was an interest in bringing it back to life and using it for cannon firing practice. The barrel was brought to Lawrence E. Cook of Cook’s Arsenal in Meriden, CT in 1992. There it was given a stainless steel sleeve to allow for corrosion resistance as it can be used for firing. At the same time, a new touch hole was installed for a percussion cap/lanyard pull. It was suggested then to mold zinc balls for firing practice.

Since the Danes purchased the islands in 1733, it is likely the barrel is Danish merchant since the practice was to use cannon as ballast on the outward bound trip and return with a ship full of molasses and fewer cannons. An expert on cannons could zero-in on history by studying the tube’s casting bands (Exhibit 1). No markings are apparent on the tube itself.

The wheels and axle are made by International Harvester, 1884. The date is raised lettering on cast iron casting on the wheel hubs. The wheels were originally on an ammunition wagon; and when it was purchased, the owner stated it carried ammo in France in WWI. Eventually, the wagon decayed, but the steel axle and sturdy wheels were salvaged. The axle was shortened to give better proportion to the gun carriage. The gun carriage is wood with steel along the top with steel plates on the trunnions (Exhibit 2).

Cannon Stats

Barrel length

40 inches

Tube Bore

3 inches

Trunnion Width

Approx 15 inches

Wheel Height

44 inches

Inside wheel to wheel

46.5 inches

Weight of Cannon

490 lbs

222 kgs

Sold 7/25/2008

Original 1804 Iron Swivel Cannon

1804 Russian Swivel cannon

This GREAT and historic piece is made of iron, with 1 3/4" bore and is 30.5 inches in length.

It has engraved crown with the letter P underneath and has never been in the sea.

It is in excellent condition for its age!

The cannon weighs 96 lbs.

It is reported that this cannon was captured from the Russians by the natives around the time of the "Battle of Sitka" in 1804.

The Battle of Sitka (1804) was the last major armed conflict between Europeans and Alaska Natives, and was initiated in response to the destruction of a Russian trading post two years prior. The primary combatant groups were the native Tlingits of Sheet’-ká X'áat'l (Baranof Island) and agents of the Russian-American Company. Though the Russians' initial assault (in which Alexandr Baranov, head of the Russian expedition, sustained serious injuries) was repelled, their naval escorts bombarded the Tlingit fort Shis'kí Noow mercilessly, driving the natives into the surrounding forest after only a few days. The Russian victory was decisive, and resulted in the Tlingit being permanently displaced from their ancestral lands. The Tlingit fled north and established a new settlement on the neighboring Chichagof Island

BARREL SPECIFICATIONS

BREACH DIAMETER: 35 ½”

MUZZLE DIAMETER: 22”

TRUNNION DIAMETER: 3 5/8” (LOCATED ON BOTTOM OF BARREL)

BORE DIAMETER: 4 ¼”

GARRISON CARRIAGE SPECIFICATIONS

15 ¾” HIGH - 44” LONG - THICK 3 ½”

WHEEL DIAMETER: FRONT 12” REAR 10” THICK 2 ½”

AXLES: 35 “ REAR 6 5/8” WIDE FRONT 6 “HIGH

CARRIAGE WEIGHT: 400 lbs.

The estimated total weight of Barrel & Carriage is 1360 lbs.

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Barrel length	40 inches
Tube Bore	3 inches
Trunnion Width	Approx 15 inches
Wheel Height	44 inches
Inside wheel to wheel	46.5 inches
Weight of Cannon	490 lbs 222 kgs