Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

fernando · 18th January 2013, 04:14 PM

Ah, you wouldn't let me down, Wayne

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I will need some time to digest all the material you are providing here

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Your'e quite right in naming the defences as the lines of Torres Vedras, commonly kown as linhas de Torres.
I wouldn't know the context this greande was found in. The guy who traded it with me bought it from one of the numerous antique shops once active in the road from Sintra do Ericeira; almost all such antiquaries are now closed.
As i said, i am basing my conclusion that this was an ammunition from the fortifications built for the Lisbon defence lines on the fact that this was the caliber used in such redoubts, whereas howitzers used on the field, both Portuguese and French, had a 6" caliber.
Here i must make a correction to my previous post. While the over 150 forts and redoubts were garnished by: 40.000 men, twenty 24 pounder, three hundred sixty 12 pounder,hundred ninety five 9 pounders and fourty three 6 pounder, there were only seven 51/5" howitzers.
I have phoned the previous owner and he admits having removed the topic rust crust from the grenade, reason why, despite being so irregular in shape, it looks so 'clean'.
The fuse opening 'admittedly' tapered is now disfigured but, its virtual diameter, measures 1 cm (0,394"), definitely a narrow orifice, potentialy too small to allow for lead balls introduction.
I wouldn't be surprised that the various technical data, shipment padding method, fuse delay timer and other, followed British standards.

18th January 2013, 04:14 PM	#4
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Ah, you wouldn't let me down, Wayne . I will need some time to digest all the material you are providing here . Your'e quite right in naming the defences as the lines of Torres Vedras, commonly kown as linhas de Torres. I wouldn't know the context this greande was found in. The guy who traded it with me bought it from one of the numerous antique shops once active in the road from Sintra do Ericeira; almost all such antiquaries are now closed. As i said, i am basing my conclusion that this was an ammunition from the fortifications built for the Lisbon defence lines on the fact that this was the caliber used in such redoubts, whereas howitzers used on the field, both Portuguese and French, had a 6" caliber. Here i must make a correction to my previous post. While the over 150 forts and redoubts were garnished by: 40.000 men, twenty 24 pounder, three hundred sixty 12 pounder,hundred ninety five 9 pounders and fourty three 6 pounder, there were only seven 51/5" howitzers. I have phoned the previous owner and he admits having removed the topic rust crust from the grenade, reason why, despite being so irregular in shape, it looks so 'clean'. The fuse opening 'admittedly' tapered is now disfigured but, its virtual diameter, measures 1 cm (0,394"), definitely a narrow orifice, potentialy too small to allow for lead balls introduction. I wouldn't be surprised that the various technical data, shipment padding method, fuse delay timer and other, followed British standards.