Another cannon ... this time a noise maker

[fernando]

I have already shown this one, when it was still for sale.
The seller made a significant reduction on the price, so i decided to bring it
in, to join the others
Beautiful bronze patina. The guy says XV century, but i don't know ... Michael, what do you say ? .
It must have had a lot of action; the touch hole is rather torn and the base rim is greatly curved in ... i ignore what kind of endurance caused it, though.
Amazingly there is a couple 2,5 mm orifices in the base (one went through all material) apparently made with a (modern) drill. The last time i saw this type of drills in ancient stuff, was at a local museum, done in some very early bronze axes; i think the museum specialists do this for testing (the age?) of specimens.
I still give full freedom to my imagination to place these signal cannons (mortars) in their correct time and function. I know that the (discoveries period) ships used to signal one eachother to maintain their proximity and also to give manouver instructions; but apparently (the ones i have read about, so far) used real cannonry to transmit such signs.
An example that was recorded was that of Vasco da Gama, on what concerns sailing instructions to the other fleet ships: One shot was for continuing, two was for turning, three to hoist the 'moneta' (an extra speed sail appendix) and four to slow down.
Any member has recordings on this subject?
Thanks for your kind coments.
Fernando

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[fernando]

Well, it would be a natural evolution if, for the purpose of signaling, the artillery cannon was replaced by the specific signal mortar at a later stage ... XVII-XVIII century ?
Fernando

[celtan]

Hi Nando,

I don't see why you inherently preclude its use as a military weapon. Soldiers sometimes even made diagonal holes in the ground, filled them with BP and a stone, or other projectile, and fired them in large numbers in the general direction of the enemy...

Saludos

Manolo

Originally Posted by fernando

Well, it would be a natural evolution if, for the purpose of signaling, the artillery cannon was replaced by the specific signal mortar at a later stage ... XVII-XVIII century ?
Fernando

[Matchlock]

Hi Fernando,

I, just like you, should date this barrel to roughly the 18th century. As most noise makers were made of wrought iron I think Manolo may be right and it may have been originally part of a mortar fixed to a heavy base plate and designed to fire in a 45 degree angle or so.

Anyway, I like it very much!

Saludos,

Michael

[fernando]

Originally Posted by celtan

Hi Nando,

I don't see why you inherently preclude its use as a military weapon...

No, i don't ; discoverers and military, were a symbiosis... right?
It is to deprehend that, signaling with actual cannons was an inadequate procedure; soon the need for something more practical gave place to these portable noise makers.

Originally Posted by celtan

...Soldiers sometimes even made diagonal holes in the ground, filled them with BP and a stone, or other projectile, and fired them in large numbers in the general direction of the enemy...

Fantastic; any method is good for making war .

Fernando

[fernando]

Thank you Michael

Originally Posted by Matchlock

... I, just like you, should date this barrel to roughly the 18th century. As most noise makers were made of wrought iron I think Manolo may be right and it may have been originally part of a mortar fixed to a heavy base plate and designed to fire in a 45 degree angle or so.
Anyway, I like it very much! ...

I like that you like it; it's a good sign .
I will then register it in my collection directory as a XVII-XVIII century item ... to be nice to myself .

Grüße.
Fernando

[Matchlock]

Hi Fernando,

Please see Cornelis' latest post:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ed=1#post85809

for these and many more!

Thanks again, Cornelis!

I do not trust the stocks and some compositions though, to me they seem to be modern restorations.

Michael

[fernando]

Thanks for the hint, Michael.
I'll meet you there.
Fernando