Featured Bought this today...

I watched the auction where this was sold but although it was the thing in the auction that I wanted most, I declined to bid because I detested the former owner. I won’t get into details because I don’t want to disparage anyone who is deceased. But now many months later I ran into the same unique piece on a table at a major antique gun show, priced at not a lot more than the price the seller paid at auction. After some negotiation, I bought it. The fact that it was no longer connected to the detested person’s estate allowed me to buy it without the reservations that kept me out of the auction. Happy!

https://www.cowanauctions.com/lot/unidentified-patent-model-3908401

 

Thats so cool !

 

Everyone should have a little cannon.

 

It's very interesting, but I can't say I understand the function. "A percussion cone to the rear"? It still had to be barrel loaded, but that was an improved firing method?

 

I was thinking: maybe anti-recoil (or counter-recoil)?

 

It's too nice to melt; it's not the poor model's fault that its previous owner was a turd emoji.

 

I haven’t examined it in any detail, but it is built as a breechloader. I theenq something like this: The petcock action rotates between two positions at either end of a cycling of the lever. You load a cloth cartridge containing powder and projectile after chamber has rotated to the vertical position by lever being pushed down. Then lever is pulled up, rotating open side of chamber so it aligns behind rear of barrel. Nipple is then exposed and accessible thru rear of breech. Percussion cap is placed on nipple. Gun is fired.

 

Really nice, I want one.
Maybe two.

 

Found this a few min. Ago. Since the model and the patent drawing are very similar, I can faithfully reproduce the mushroom-shaped part that fits in the breech end.

https://patents.google.com/patent/US33756A/en?oq=33756

 

So I just learned that this very model was inspected by Pres. Lincoln, and he came close to ordering full-sized versions into production. I learned this when I googled the inventor’s name and hometown. The book linked refers to this as “The Cincinnati Gun.” And to think this “famous” model has gone unidentified and unappreciated for a century at least!

https://books.google.com/books?id=1...9#v=onepage&q=w.g. sherwin cincinnati&f=false

 

I put all the info I have on another forum:

https://springfieldarsenal.wordpress.com/47516ed9-9315-49ec-8276-828883a24078/

 

Thanks for the Lara

 

Here’s something I photo’d at Nat Archives in 2009 while researching other cannons. Inventor’s name, W.G. Sherwin, on left. Stuff in darker ink (appears red in orig. document) is a compilation of notes from several interactions the Army Ordnance Dept. had with Sherwin. I have more Archives material on this invention, just haven’t re-discovered it yet.

 

Finished up reviewing the National Archives documents I photographed in 2009. There are about 8 letters concerning this cannon. One of the more interesting: