Box Containing Six Models of Guns and Four Documents

Entry

Wooden box containing six beautifully executed bronze gun models (NG-MC-1130-A) and four documents which were found in the false floor of the box (NG-MC-1130-B). The gun models (two mortars, a howitzer and three cannon) are all bisected longitudinally to show the inside of the bore. All of the guns, except for the smallest, have dolphins; the two mortars and the howitzer have shell-shaped vent pans. All have trunnions, the mortars at the base.

Careful measurement by R. Roth has yielded the scale and identification of the models as a 13-inch Sea Service Mortar, a 13-inch Land Service Mortar, a 10-inch howitzer, an 8-foot Desaguliers Heavy 6-pounder, a 5-foot Armstrong Frederick Medium 6-pounder, and an older pattern Light 6-pounder, length 4 feet 6 inches. Calibres: SS mortar 27.5 mm; LS mortar 27.5 mm; howitzer 21.6 mm; heavy 6-pounder 7.75 mm; medium 6-pounder 8.3 mm; light 6-pounder 7.9 mm. The documents represent descriptions of British ordnance of 1778 (see inscriptions), two of them with drawings (1 and 2). Jan Verbruggen (1712-1781) was Master Founder at the Admiralty Bell and Cannon Foundry at Enkhuizen from 1746 until his appointment to the The Hague State Ordnance Factory in 1755, where his son Pieter (1735-1786) joined him. They used a new technique of solid casting and barrel boring, but after numerous enquiries and criticisms ceased production in 1765. In spite of this blow to their reputation they were appointed joint Master Founders at the Royal Brass Foundry at Woolwich by the British Board of Ordnance in 1770, where they introduced a new type of horizontal boring machine.

Scale (derived) 1:12.