A FINE BRONZE THREE-POUNDER CANNON BARREL cast in 1786 by Richard Gilpin for the English East India Company, built up of three truncated conusses, diminishing in size after two steps, comprising: first and second reinforce and chase; first reinforce with a flattened ogee-shaped cascable, with fillets and terminating in a handle-shaped button with an astragal around its thickest part, the neck fitted underneath with a pair of lugs for an elevating screw; at the top, behind the base ring, is a rearward-protruding block for a back-sight; flat base ring, with the raised text R.GILPIN FECIT.1786, preceded by an ogee; vent field with astragal in front, vent patch moulded as a shell; first reinforce with a raised heart-shaped emblem, topped with the figure 4 and quartered, each part with a letter forming together the abbreviation V E I C (for: United East India Company); plain second reinforce with a pair of shouldered trunnions, the left one marked with four dots; chase with two astragals en suite with the vent astragal, its taper continuing until the muzzle swell; muzzle face with ogees and fillets.Bore c. 7.5cm. (2 15/16 inch), overall 102.5cm., diameter of base ring 17.3cm., dto. at the vent 15.7cm.

A FINE BRONZE THREE-POUNDER CANNON BARREL cast in 1786 by Richard Gilpin for the English East India Company, built up of three truncated conusses, diminishing in size after two steps, comprising: first and second reinforce and chase; first reinforce with a flattened ogee-shaped cascable, with fillets and terminating in a handle-shaped button with an astragal around its thickest part, the neck fitted underneath with a pair of lugs for an elevating screw; at the top, behind the base ring, is a rearward-protruding block for a back-sight; flat base ring, with the raised text R.GILPIN FECIT.1786, preceded by an ogee; vent field with astragal in front, vent patch moulded as a shell; first reinforce with a raised heart-shaped emblem, topped with the figure 4 and quartered, each part with a letter forming together the abbreviation V E I C (for: United East India Company); plain second reinforce with a pair of shouldered trunnions, the left one marked with four dots; chase with two astragals en suite with the vent astragal, its taper continuing until the muzzle swell; muzzle face with ogees and fillets. Bore c. 7.5cm. (2 15/16 inch), overall 102.5cm., diameter of base ring 17.3cm., dto. at the vent 15.7cm.

Details

A FINE BRONZE THREE-POUNDER CANNON BARREL cast in 1786 by Richard Gilpin for the English East India Company, built up of three truncated conusses, diminishing in size after two steps, comprising: first and second reinforce and chase; first reinforce with a flattened ogee-shaped cascable, with fillets and terminating in a handle-shaped button with an astragal around its thickest part, the neck fitted underneath with a pair of lugs for an elevating screw; at the top, behind the base ring, is a rearward-protruding block for a back-sight; flat base ring, with the raised text R.GILPIN FECIT.1786, preceded by an ogee; vent field with astragal in front, vent patch moulded as a shell; first reinforce with a raised heart-shaped emblem, topped with the figure 4 and quartered, each part with a letter forming together the abbreviation V E I C (for: United East India Company); plain second reinforce with a pair of shouldered trunnions, the left one marked with four dots; chase with two astragals en suite with the vent astragal, its taper continuing until the muzzle swell; muzzle face with ogees and fillets.
Bore c. 7.5cm. (2 15/16 inch), overall 102.5cm., diameter of base ring 17.3cm., dto. at the vent 15.7cm.

Provenance

Mr.H.L. Visser, Wassenaar

Lot Essay

On Richard Gilpin, who died in 1772, cf. A.N. Kennard, Gunfounding and gunfounders: a directory of cannon founders from earliest times to 1850, London 1986, p.81, and H.L. Blackmore, The Armouries of the Tower of London, vol. I: Ordnance. London, 1976, p.74-75.
Placed on a four-trucked ship's carriage, painted red and shod with blackened iron, reconstructed after a pattern of c.1740, probably for the Admiralty of Amsterdam

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