Toy Cannon, Any Help with Age Appreciated

[Ahab8]

My buddy found this while we were hunting yesterday and I told him I would try to help with a little info about it. Sorry I don't have dimensions yet but will add them later. He also found a Mass Cent. I was so happy to out him on a site that produced his first old finds. He's a hell of a nice guy. Thanks guys

 

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[Red James Cash]

It might not be a toy,(fully functional) small cannon were presented to ships officers way back when.The cannon carriages were made out of the same wood the ship was built with.

 

[TNGUNS]

Wow Abe. That thing rocks. Saw another post on one but do not remember where and remember that they can go back WAY further than I would have imagined. Not even sure if it was on Tnet. Anxious to see some of the experts chime in. Just out of curiosity, how deep was it?

 

[dirtlooter]

yes, very shootable, not necessarily a toy in the sense we call toys now, too bad you couldn't find the rest of the metal parts that probably went with it. very awesome find for one of his first finds! it takes another nice guy to do something like that for someone else, an unselfish person. just saying

 

[toddsumm1]

You really need to check this video out! I just watched it last night. Really cool find.

Watch "Thames Treasure Hunters 720p" on YouTube
Thames Treasure Hunters 720p:

 

[CRUSADER]

They did work & were a Gentleman's table piece.(not a toy as such, well a big boys toy) Starting making this type in the 18th C, hard to date but I would guess 1790-1850.

 

[CRUSADER]

It might not be a toy,(fully functional) small cannon were presented to ships officers way back when.The cannon carriages were made out of the same wood the ship was built with.

Nice story, maybe 'some' were, but they are a fairly well known & 'commonish' find in the UK. People with money had them as a talking point, maybe the odd rich kid had ago, as H&S was not so strong back in the 18th C.

 

[CRUSADER]

Record ID: SUSS-68AA74 - POST MEDIEVAL toy - Database
PAS dates it to 1700-1750, but you have to be careful, there dating is often wrong. I forget the evolution of these but I thought the end looked late 18th, rather than early. They also didn't stop making them until about 1900, I think.
So if we say 18th C, can't be too far wrong.

 

[Ahab8]

Record ID: SUSS-68AA74 - POST MEDIEVAL toy - Database PAS dates it to 1700-1750, but you have to be careful, there dating is often wrong. I forget the evolution of these but I thought the end looked late 18th, rather than early. They also didn't stop making them until about 1900, I think. So if we say 18th C, can't be too far wrong.

Cru thanks for your response and info. It's much appreciated

 

[treblehunter]

I love both of those finds equally

 

[Ahab8]

Wow Abe. That thing rocks. Saw another post on one but do not remember where and remember that they can go back WAY further than I would have imagined. Not even sure if it was on Tnet. Anxious to see some of the experts chime in. Just out of curiosity, how deep was it?

That thing was about 10" down bud. Much deeper than most items off this site

 

[Iron Patch]

Nice one. I never pay too much attention to the date on those... and as long as they're not modern junk metal, and look like that, they're old enough for me.

 

[Red James Cash]

too bad you couldn't find the rest of the metal parts that probably went with it.

If it was a presentation cannon to a ships officer it was mounted in a simple wooden block,no other pieces.My brother has a few of them that he picked up at an antique store.They range from the size of the one pictured,to one most likely belonging to the ships captain,that is big enough to fit a .44 ball into it.

 

[Ahab8]

If it was a presentation cannon to a ships officer it was mounted in a simple wooden block,no other pieces.My brother has a few of them that he picked up at an antique store.They range from the size of the one pictured,to one most likely belonging to the ships captain,that is big enough to fit a .44 ball into it.

Very cool thanks for the great info bud

 

[CRUSADER]

If it was a presentation cannon to a ships officer it was mounted in a simple wooden block,no other pieces.My brother has a few of them that he picked up at an antique store.They range from the size of the one pictured,to one most likely belonging to the ships captain,that is big enough to fit a .44 ball into it.

True, I think they were in a wooden mount, although I have never seen a reference of a complete 18th C example. Although I'm sure they are out there somewhere.

I think your story is later than this 18th C example, unless you know a reference of this practice that I don't? Possible I guess, do you have it?

As far as I'm know this was a typical high end toy, expensive but widely available. Not sure where they were made but Birmingham, UK would be a good guess.

 

[Greylock]

Those little cannons are cool. Just found one myself at a mill I've been pounding. I would like to see it fire a round. Now that would be something.

 

[Red James Cash]

True, I think they were in a wooden mount, although I have never seen a reference of a complete 18th C example. Although I'm sure they are out there somewhere.

I think your story is later than this 18th C example, unless you know a reference of this practice that I don't? Possible I guess, do you have it?

The practice is most likely US navy.The reference is what my brother told me through his research,i have never researched the practice myself.All I know is that when a ship was commissioned,all the officers of the new ship were presented with the cannon which were mounted on the same wood that the ship was built with.The cannon my brother has were bought in a NY antique shop that was near Fort Ticonderoga,he also bought a one pounder deck swivel gun.

 

[Ahab8]

Those little cannons are cool. Just found one myself at a mill I've been pounding. I would like to see it fire a round. Now that would be something.

You shoot, I will watch :-)

 

[CRUSADER]

Those little cannons are cool. Just found one myself at a mill I've been pounding. I would like to see it fire a round. Now that would be something.

Pretty sure most were fired with black powder but with no round, it was just for effect. Flash - Bang. Although many examples have been found which have been blown to bits. So they either had a weak cannon or over charged it, or maybe they did try & put a small round in & it struck.

http://kcl-antiquities.co.uk/an-18t...oy-cannon-exploded-through-use-sold-403-p.asp
Example above. Seen many more.

 

[CRUSADER]

I really like these, so I hope you don't mind me posting a couple, to show you that they did various sizes. Also I include one of my fav finds & one the public always comment on, the pentronel, a 17th C working fishtail musket: