POST MEDIEVAL TOY

1675

A complete cast copper-alloy "toy" cannon dating from the late post medieval or early modern period, that is about AD1675 - 1725. The toy is described as if it were a functioning cannon. The toy cannon is complete with cascable (or cascabel) and cascabel button. It is complete with base ring, astragal and a the vent field which has a length of c. 4mm. The circular vent has a diameter of c. 1mm. This vent is sometimes referred to as a 'touch-hole'. The trunnions are set about mid-way down the side of the barrel and are circular in cross-section. The trunnions sat in the top of the cheeks of the gun carriage and enabled the piece to be elevated.Compare SWYOR-2A67F3 and IOW-3B5F14 which note that: "The cannon is probably a working model and miniature cannons such as this example may not have been toys for children but may have been used by adults." and that "The terminology used in this description has been taken from Blackmore 1976: 216. Blackmore, H. L. 1976. The Armouries of the Tower of London. Vol. 1, Ordnance. London: HMSO."See also SOM-A38A21 which notes that "Forsyth and Egan (2005:80-81) discuss toy cannons and suggest those that actually fired were very popular by the end of the 16th century but the majority show features that were developed in 17th - 18th century. This example is most similar to their Type 2 Design 1 (p.82, 1.5) although with a much more projecting cascabel and raised ring at the trunnions. They suggest this type is from the late 17th to early 18th century."NB The image was kindly supplied by the finder via email.