Spanish Grenade / Signaling Cannon ??

Rikkn · 14th June 2021, 02:35 PM

This came into my " shop " yesterday. Need help identifying it, and interpreting the proof marks. The claim is that it is a 17th century Spanish signaling cannon / grenade launcher. The base is not original. I cannot find anything on the proof marks. It is bronze, approx. 7" long , with a 2" bore. Any comments / ideas appreciated !!

Rikkn · 14th June 2021, 02:36 PM

More pictures.

M ELEY · 14th June 2021, 07:01 PM

Hello Rikkn. I am no expert on cannons, but i can tell you yours is a coehorn, or mortar and definitely more than just a signal gun. It would indeed have fired a small shell/grenade/carcass, basically any bomb with a lit fuse. They were small and portable, used in land combat, but also light enough that they were used on ships. They were often carried up into the 'tops' in order to lob shells onto an enemy's deck (when closing in, not once the ships were close enough to board). Unfortunately, I have no idea if this piece is particularly old, as they do still make modern repros. It does have a nice patina and some minor pitting, so I think it is authentic to the period. It would date to 18th to the turn of the next century (there were certainly even earlier examples, but yours looks more refined than 'earlier' models). The stamps look authentic, but again, I'm no expert on such, so hopefully our cannon enthusiasts will chime in!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coehorn

adrian · 14th June 2021, 09:43 PM

It is a model of a mortar, and represents their general style rather than being an exact scale model. It has been cast & then turned on a lathe, the band around the trunnions still has the as cast surface, it cannot be got at while spinning on a lathe. Its age is difficult to determine as artillery model making is still very popular to this day.

Rikkn · 14th June 2021, 09:55 PM

Great info M ELEY & Adrian.
A Coehorn it is. Adrian, are you saying it is not old ? Like a reproduction ?

M ELEY · 15th June 2021, 01:45 AM

Yikes! Adrian is right. I wasn't paying attention to the size you listed, so it is a model. Some of these could be quite old, though-

14th June 2021, 02:35 PM	#1
Rikkn Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Ormond by the Sea, Fl Posts: 50	Spanish Grenade / Signaling Cannon ?? This came into my " shop " yesterday. Need help identifying it, and interpreting the proof marks. The claim is that it is a 17th century Spanish signaling cannon / grenade launcher. The base is not original. I cannot find anything on the proof marks. It is bronze, approx. 7" long , with a 2" bore. Any comments / ideas appreciated !! Attached Images

14th June 2021, 02:36 PM	#2
Rikkn Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Ormond by the Sea, Fl Posts: 50	More pictures. Attached Images

14th June 2021, 07:01 PM	#3
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,096	Hello Rikkn. I am no expert on cannons, but i can tell you yours is a coehorn, or mortar and definitely more than just a signal gun. It would indeed have fired a small shell/grenade/carcass, basically any bomb with a lit fuse. They were small and portable, used in land combat, but also light enough that they were used on ships. They were often carried up into the 'tops' in order to lob shells onto an enemy's deck (when closing in, not once the ships were close enough to board). Unfortunately, I have no idea if this piece is particularly old, as they do still make modern repros. It does have a nice patina and some minor pitting, so I think it is authentic to the period. It would date to 18th to the turn of the next century (there were certainly even earlier examples, but yours looks more refined than 'earlier' models). The stamps look authentic, but again, I'm no expert on such, so hopefully our cannon enthusiasts will chime in! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coehorn

14th June 2021, 09:43 PM	#4
adrian Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 125	It is a model of a mortar, and represents their general style rather than being an exact scale model. It has been cast & then turned on a lathe, the band around the trunnions still has the as cast surface, it cannot be got at while spinning on a lathe. Its age is difficult to determine as artillery model making is still very popular to this day.

14th June 2021, 09:55 PM	#5
Rikkn Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Ormond by the Sea, Fl Posts: 50	Great info M ELEY & Adrian. A Coehorn it is. Adrian, are you saying it is not old ? Like a reproduction ?

15th June 2021, 01:45 AM	#6
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,096	Yikes! Adrian is right. I wasn't paying attention to the size you listed, so it is a model. Some of these could be quite old, though-