Object Description
This bronze and mahogany Carronade cannon model is much larger than the other and is a good size for a desk. The mahogany carriage is fitted with straps to the side for tying rings and has bronze wheels. The barrel is fixed to the carriage by a bolt that runs through a bronze sleeve fitting. This allows its firing angle to be adjusted by an elevation thread to the back of the barrel.
The Carronade has the year ‘1855’ stamped to the front. Another similar Carronade model is known with the date 1851. It is easy to confuse this Carronade with the American Rodman cannon due to its barrel shape, however the Rodman didn’t go into production until 1861, six years after the date of this model.
Carronades are mostly associated with the Royal Navy or coastal defences. Nelson used them to great effect at Trafalgar, their light weight but powerful firing power over a short distance making them ideal for close fighting. Dated 1855.