June 12-13, 2019 Edged Weapon, Armor, & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/12/2019
This important French and Indian War Cannon comes with a copy of a signed letter from William Guthman attesting to its authenticity and provenance. The letter is on his letterhead and dated January 1994 and he states that he obtained it from the original owner 20 years prior and it was in his collection until it was sold, sometime in 1994. This cannon, along with another identical, was excavated from the mud along the shore of Lake George during the 1930's by collector and known dealer Tony Fidd, Senior. Cannons such as this one were mounted at the bow of sloops and rowboats used for battle on the lake. The boats these guns were used on were often deliberately sunk on the lakes, submerged to protect them from destruction during assaults across ice-covered lakes. The cannons were frequently buried for safe-keeping. A copy of an excerpt from the diary of Abel Spicer, dated 1758 Lake George, New York states that "Monday, October 23rd - This day they finished carrying off the bateaux all that was not to be sunk, and buried the sloop's guns and rigging." On the next day he also states that they buried the oars and a great deal of their equipment. This is the most likely explanation of how this cannon was stored and came to be found in the mud on the shores of Lake George. The cannon itself has a 24" bronze tube, including the cascabel. The bore measures about 1" in diameter and the cannon weighs about 50 pounds. There is a 1-1/4" trunnion on each side and the cannon measures 5-1/2 inches across the trunnions. Its original iron yoke is still present. The turned barrel shows a 2" by 2-1/2" relief cypher of a dolphin on top between the trunnions. In front of the touchole, an "E" below another proof can be seen for St. Etienne royal French foundry. The cannon dates circa 1740-1750. Complete with a nice contemporary base and four period grape shot cannon balls in relic condition. CONDITION: Tube retains a very dark, even patina and is untouched. Shows a few marks from use during the period. Yoke retains a heavy brown patina and shows some corrosion. This is a very historically significant cannon which most certainly saw action during the French and Indian War.
This is not a standard shippable item and will require 3rd party shipping or pickup arrangements to be made.Paperwork
History & Photos