December 13-15, 2022 Collectible Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/14/2022
For illustrations of very similar mortars, see pgs. 49 and 61 of "Round Shot and Rammers" by Peterson, showing a French mortar and bed, one circa 1700 and another dated 1774. Present example is closest to illustration on pg.61 with 5 stages, consisting of a raised muzzle, a depressed ring behind muzzle, engraved "ANOD 1775" in a banner, a raised ring with lifting ring, a depressed ring with another ribbon that reads "EL ELCULES", and then touchhole with figural face. T crossbar for setting into a bed, engraved "BRON" on left terminal and "4" on right; several indistinct characters after 4 that are difficult to read. Inscriptions point further towards the Spanish origin of mortar, with other Spanish cannons using "ANOD" as part of their inscriptions. Cylindrical chamber, more constricted towards touchhole. Measures approximately 4 - 1/2" across T bar, 5" from muzzle to rear of bar, and 2 - 3/4" tall. Bore is 1 - 5/8" across. CONDITION: Bronze has a pleasing patination, with crisp readable legends and some minor handling marks appropriate to a nearly 250 year old piece. Most handling marks are on terminals of T bar, with some obfuscation to right terminal mentioned above. Bore is good with some minor patination and verdigris. Spanish soldiers in the colonial period were known to have had small versions of mortars as signaling devices, of which this may be a wonderful refined example. EMW