TOY

Post medieval copper alloy toy cannon of 17th or 18th century date
The gun is near-complete but the barrel is exploded and appears to have been cast in one-piece (with a length of 71.5mm and a weight of 37.0g). The cascable comprises a globular knob on a concave fillet before a prominent base ring (of 14.3mm diameter). The vent is a small circular hole (of 2.4mm diameter) and there is a moulding for the first reinforce (12.9mm diameter). The trunnions are positioned near the mid-point of the gun (with a width of 24.1mm and a diameter of 5.8mm). The ends of the trunnions are narrowed with a step (to 3.4mm), probably to help accommodate the carriage. The chase has a single incised fillet and a moulding before the neck. The neck expands at the muzzle (to 10.9mm) and has a single incised line. The gun has a bore of 6.2mm and a bore length of approximately 53mm. The surface is heavily-corroded with a dark brown corrosion; there is the suggestion of iron corrosion on the barrel around the trunnions.

The dimensions of the gun do not closely correspond with Forsyth & Egan (2005, p 80 - 84) typology but perhaps best resemble their Type 3 which they date to the late 17th to early 18th century.

~~ Forsyth, H. & Egan, G.; 2005; Toys, Trifles & Trinkets; Base-metal miniatures from London 1200 to 1800; Museum of London