Wrought (!) and cast iron cannon balls, 16th century

[Jim McDougall]

Thank you Michael for explaining that, and mentioning the instance of the Duke of Brunswicks initials and date on the cannon balls. I was wondering if perhaps since these destructive (obviously) pieces of ordnance were being sent to destroy an enemy...that maybe as in the bombs dropped from aircraft in the wars were marked with slogans or taunting phrases toward the enemy...there might have been similar cases in medieval times.

It is known that in some instances in warfare in Biblical times, sometimes the arrowheads were marked to afford the warrior the claim to his victory over an opponent by proving his arrow was the felling one. In North America, the Indian tribes often marked thier arrows with distinctive stripes, colors or identifying features to claim the hunted game brought down.

Obviously there are differences in the arrows marked to claim prey or victims, and items such as cannonballs or bombs which carried symbolic messages, and would be ultimately destroyed themselves....but I thought the idea of personalized and symbolic messaged projectiles or ammunition an interesting aside in our study of the weapons themselves.

Fernando, thank you for the note on the Napoleonic cannonballs, which is indeed an interesting example being marked with his initial. It seems to fall into the category of property or ownership, like U.S. or C.S.A on so many Civil War items (though I'm not aware of ordnance so marked).
Early markings of all types of ordnance in England began with Henry VIII who used the familiar broad arrow, that became distinctive on British military supplies and materials, and I wonder if cannonballs or other materials were so marked.

These are instances that come to mind, and sure would like to hear more on unusually marked ordnance!!

All best regards,
Jim

[Matchlock]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Thank you Michael for explaining that, and mentioning the instance of the Duke of Brunswicks initials and date on the cannon balls. I was wondering if perhaps since these destructive (obviously) pieces of ordnance were being sent to destroy an enemy...that maybe as in the bombs dropped from aircraft in the wars were marked with slogans or taunting phrases toward the enemy...there might have been similar cases in medieval times.

It is known that in some instances in warfare in Biblical times, sometimes the arrowheads were marked to afford the warrior the claim to his victory over an opponent by proving his arrow was the felling one. In North America, the Indian tribes often marked thier arrows with distinctive stripes, colors or identifying features to claim the hunted game brought down.

Obviously there are differences in the arrows marked to claim prey or victims, and items such as cannonballs or bombs which carried symbolic messages, and would be ultimately destroyed themselves....but I thought the idea of personalized and symbolic messaged projectiles or ammunition an interesting aside in our study of the weapons themselves.


All best regards,

Jim

Jim, I believe that you are exactly right in your reckonings based on the examples cited. I am convinced that some war lords and patriotically minded craftsmen and citiens alike indeed cherished the imagination of those projectiles being fired into the enemies' bodies - 'with our best greetings'.

In the case of the Brunswick slag balls, their date 1575 was cast in the mould. Other cannon balls are known to have been inscribed later.

Fernando, actually I have a Napoleonic cannon ball which was found in a ruined house in the medieval city center of Regensburg, some 40 km from my present home. I used to live in Regensburg for amolst 25 years and I bought that ball from one of the workers who had wrecked the ruine. Interesting enough, it is inscribed in white ink

Napoleon
25. April
1809

('Napoleon' has become almost illegible).
This was undoubtedly regarded as a reminder of Napoleon's taking Regensburg under fire and conquering it on that day.

I will also take pictures of my Brunswick cannon balls and post them.

Michael

[fernando]

Thank you Michael,
Allow me to post my few humble specimens, mostly dated from the Portuguese Napoleonic invasions (1809-1810); can not precise whether they are British, Portuguese or French, but they were dug in famous battle spots. Some are solid shot, others are grape shot or canister.
Fernando

.

[Matchlock]

Impressive ball collection indeed, Fernando - thanks a lot!

Grape shot is extremely rare to find, congratulations.

I attach some images of early grape shot (quilted grape) of (probably) the 16th and 17th centuries, all pictures taken in museums and in the London auction house of Bonhams.

Michael

[fernando]

Let me show you my just arrived example of wrought iron ball, most certainly forged by the same Peter Pögl. Its provenance is a German auctioner and its acquisition had the support of a Bavarian member we know very well .
Its weight is about 1400 grams; with a diameter of 7-7,5 centimeters, we could colloquially call it a 3 pounder ... could we, Michl ?

The strange thing is that this ball was included in a auction lot, comprehending two items, the other one having a rather strange aspect, the kind of thing i may never know what it is. Destiny had a great part in this event as, considering this iron (so heavy) artifact was too obsolete and senseless to compensate for the shipping cost, we gave instructions to leave it behind and just ship the ball. Guess what? for some reason they ended up shipping it together with the cannon ball and now here i am, punishing you guys with some photos, wondering whether someone around (a metallurgist?) would tell what (the hell) this is.
For myself i can't go further than guessing this is some kind of casting box, or(counter) mould, left out from a specific casting job.
But then, why should it appear in an auction together with an early cannon ball ? .
Its diameter is 18 cms (7") and its height is 7 cms ( 2 3/4") and it weighs nearly 2 Kgs. (4 1/2 pounds.)

.

[fernando]

The name for this thing in the auction was gießkelle.
A casting ladle ... something like a crucible ?
... Plausible?

[Jim McDougall]

Fantastic acquisition Fernando! and it is wonderful to have this fascinating thread revived with this kind of enhancing new material.
I am really looking forward to hear from Michael, and I am really curious on how the ordnance made by Pogl is identified...in there a marking so indicating?