18

De-Acquisitioned 12-Pound Carronade

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:7,500.00 USD Estimated At:15,000.00 - 20,000.00 USD
De-Acquisitioned 12-Pound Carronade
Auction Location:

16600 Aston Street
Irvine, CA
De-acquisitioned 12 Pound Carronade, captured or salvaged from the British in the War of 1812 and mounted on its present carriage. (Although the present carriage is the later American and not the Royal Navy original.) Recovered as de-acquisition from the Maritime Museum in Savanna, Georgia, where it had languished gathering dust for decades. Supposedly, in the interest of protecting it from the coastal ocean air of Savanna, the whole piece, gun and carriage, was coated with a thick layer of orange anti-fouling paint and then covered with a heavy coat of black naval grade paint. The touch hole was filled in with copper. Our consignor restored the touch hole, applied multiple coats of linseed oil to the wood, replaced the original wheels, two of which had collapsed and split apart and all four of which had worn too flat to turn, due to having been crudely made of soft wood in the early 19th Century. The original stool bed was missing as was the quoin. Removal of the paint revealed the long-lost serial number ''T/115'' and the designation ''S.B. 12 pr.'' Guns were sometimes made for specific ships, which may explain the initials ''S.B.''. All original hardware has been retained and iron tires added to comply with Royal Navy deck guns. The barrel shows some traces of its use in combat. In addition to a chip out of the muzzle ring, there are multiple small splinter marks on the muzzle standoff. An interesting side point: The Duke of Wellington is said to have preferred iron guns made at Carron (the origin of this design and a place noted at the time primarily for bell foundering) because they didn't explode as often as other makes. The truth of this was soon borne out at Waterloo. Barrel length to ball: 41''. Outside dia. of barrel at mouth: 7-1/4''; inside dia. of barrel at mouth: 5-1/2''. Est.: $15,000-$20,000.