July 12-14, 2022 Collectible Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/12/2022
A vast improvement upon old fashioned wood powder kegs and barrels, these metallic containers, designated “powder tanks,” made their appearance on U.S. Navy ships by the 1840s. Designed to safely store bagged powder charges for heavy guns in the ship’s magazine, they were made of bronze and copper to avoid chance sparks that could be disastrous to a vessel or munitions depot, and could be tightly sealed to make them impervious to water or dampness. This one follows the pattern specified in 1857, and is clearly marked on the upper corner of the body with its filled weight, ”50 LB,” along with “USN” in large letters and naval ordnance inspection stamp “ORD 1857 / H.A.W. / (anchor)” which is the mark of Henry A. Wise, U.S. Navy 1834-1869. Wise was assigned to the Boston Navy Yard and in 1856 to the Washington Navy Yard, overseeing foundries producing navy ordnance and worked closely with John A. Dahlgren in improving U.S. naval weapons’ systems. CONDITION: Excellent. These are extremely scarce, most meeting their fate as scrap metal after improved patterns had taken their place.
Item Dimensions: 10" X 10" X 17"
Paperwork
Consigner Research, photos, National Archives Letters