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A Cased Pair Of Scottish 50-Bore Percussion Duelling Or Target Pistols By Alex.r Martin, Glasgow, Mid-19th Century
The medals and associate ephemera and uniforms of Arthur Watts, 6th Inniskilling Dragoons
A Pair Of Highland All-Metal Percussion Belt Pistols Signed Paton & Walsh Perth, Mid 19th century
A Silver-Mounted Left-Hand Dagger, probably German, Italian or English Late 16th Century Or Later
FOUR REPRODUCTION CARVED POWDER HORNS/FLASKS.late 20th century.
THREE CARVED COCONUT ITEMS.18th/19th century.
A COLLECTION OF ANTIQUE AND REPRODUCTION POWDER FLASKS AND RELATED SPORTING ITEMS.
THREE VICTORIAN ARMS AND ARMOUR DECORATIVE ITEMS.
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A Rare Small Presentation Bronze Cannon Taken At The Relief Of Lucknow In 1857 image 1
A Rare Small Presentation Bronze Cannon Taken At The Relief Of Lucknow In 1857 image 2
Lot 131

A Rare Small Presentation Bronze Cannon Taken At The Relief Of Lucknow In 1857
Almost Certainly Lucknow Arsenal Under The Direction Of Claude Martin, Circa 1800

Antique Arms and Armour
11 May 2016, 13:00 BST
London, Knightsbridge

Sold for £5,000 inc. premium

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A Rare Small Presentation Bronze Cannon Taken At The Relief Of Lucknow In 1857
Almost Certainly Lucknow Arsenal Under The Direction Of Claude Martin, Circa 1800

Of tapering multi-stage form with raised mouldings and bell-shaped muzzle, the second reinforce engraved with the presentation inscription, touch-hole with raised border forming a pan, knob-shaped cascabel, and plain trunnions: on stepped wooden carriage of naval type with original bronze trunnions caps and trucks (two replaced), the latter each pierced with small holes
41.5 cm. barrel, 3.3 cm. bore

Footnotes

The presentation inscription reads: 'Taken at the Relief of Lucknow on the 19th November, 1857 By The Naval Brigade And Presented To Mr. James King by J.W. Bone Esq., Royal Navy on the 1st. January 1859 As A Token of Respect'

H.M.S. Shanon, a screw frigate, was on her way to join naval forces in the 2nd China War when she was diverted to Calcutta to form a naval brigade and assist the army in opposing the Indian Mutiny. James Bone was an engineer in the first detachment of the brigade, however it has not been possible to discover who James King was. The Shannon played an important role in the Indian Mutiny serving at the Battle of Cawnpore, the Relief of Lucknow in November 1857 and the final siege of Lucknow in March 1858. Five Victoria crosses were awarded to men of the Naval Brigade during the campaign

Claude Martin was born in 1735 in Lyons, the son of a cooper. He served with the French army 1752-60, when he deserted in India and joined the East India Company forces. Commissioned as Ensign in 1763, he was promoted Captain and appointed Superintendent of Artillery and Arsenals to the Nawab of Oudh. With the rank of Major he established the Lucknow Arsenal in 1779. Under his supervision and training a number of fine arms were produced by European and native armourers, examples of which are in the collections of the Royal Armouries, Leeds. He reached the rank of Major General and died in Lucknow in 1800. For further information on Claude Martin, patron of Zoffany and founder of La Martinière College, see Howard L. Blackmore, 'General Claude Martin, Master Gunmaker', The Canadian Journal of Arms Collecting, vol. 27, no. 1 (February 1989), p. 4, pl. 2

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A Cased Pair Of Scottish 50-Bore Percussion Duelling Or Target Pistols By Alex.r Martin, Glasgow, Mid-19th Century
The medals and associate ephemera and uniforms of Arthur Watts, 6th Inniskilling Dragoons
A Pair Of Highland All-Metal Percussion Belt Pistols Signed Paton & Walsh Perth, Mid 19th century
A Silver-Mounted Left-Hand Dagger, probably German, Italian or English Late 16th Century Or Later
FOUR REPRODUCTION CARVED POWDER HORNS/FLASKS.late 20th century.
THREE CARVED COCONUT ITEMS.18th/19th century.
A COLLECTION OF ANTIQUE AND REPRODUCTION POWDER FLASKS AND RELATED SPORTING ITEMS.
THREE VICTORIAN ARMS AND ARMOUR DECORATIVE ITEMS.