1346

Large Dutch bronze cannon dated 1642, maker Assuerus Koster, Amsterdam, probably made in the 1800s o

Currency:USD Category:Artifacts / Non-wreck Start Price:10,000.00 USD Estimated At:10,000.00 - 15,000.00 USD
Large Dutch bronze cannon dated 1642, maker Assuerus Koster, Amsterdam, probably made in the 1800s o
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Large Dutch bronze cannon dated 1642, maker Assuerus Koster, Amsterdam, probably made in the 1800s or 1900s. 5'1/2" long, weight unknown (very heavy). An impressively ornate cannon with bold ornamentation and lettering, including the portrait of a sailing ship and the words ASSVERVS KOSTER ME FECIT AMSTELREDAM ANNO 1642 ("Assuerus [or Xerxes] Koster made me [in] Amsterdam [in the year] 1642") around the base ring dividing the breech from the cascabel, plus some other numbers there, in front of the touch-hole and near the muzzle. The measurements of this cannon are as follows: 6" muzzle with 5-1/2" bore, 4" x 4-1/2" cascabel, 3" x 2-5/8" trunnions, 5" dolphins (lifting handles). Generally old Dutch bronze cannons were cast with the inside mold (creating the inner tube) connected to the outer mold by small iron core-pins at the bore, and when the inner mold was removed, the iron pins remained inside the bronze. Therefore you can usually check bronze cannons for authenticity by running a magnet around the bore to find the pins. This cannon fails that test; but at the same time, we do not know of any other examples of this piece, nor do we have any historical model for it to have been copied from. It is just a beautiful piece, with lovely patina, but collectible only (not fireable), still worth thousands of dollars for its copper content alone. Its current location is in Indiana, from where the winning bidder will need to take delivery.


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