15TH CENTURY STYLE LOWER CANNON - FLUTED WITH A HINGE AND PIN CLOSING MECHANISM

This enclosed cannon is a very admirable item, with great attention to detail. Its cuff is patterned at a slight angle and with the fluting present. We date this to late 19th century based on a 1480 German original.

The armourer has subtly shaped the bulging forearm muscles into the piece. It has very well rolled edges that are filed away correctly on the under-lap of the cannon halves; where the cannons meet they line up nicely and have no unsuitably large gaps.

The halves are attached by two handmade hinges set internally and closing on the other side with a pin. The cannon still opens and closes nicely (with a delicate grasp as it is old). Centrally located on each half about 35 mm up from the lower edge is a dome headed rivet which looks like it would have held a leather strap (partially remaining under one of them) as a secondary fastening strap, positioned like those seen on Milanese cannons of the mid 15th Century.

The fluting is attractive and follows all the way around in a scalloping pattern of three flutes, which are all step flutes running parallel to one another.

One half has some holes near its tip edge where it has worn through to thin while above one of the hinges are two tears that run next to each other but the section hangs on with a good 10 mm still attached.

Deliberately aged, it has a lovely old steel patina to it. The inside is painted with an inventory number, 3084, in white paint as this piece once graced the American John Woodman Higgins Collection. An attractive display piece.

At the wrist it has a circumference of 260 mm, while the top circumference is 368 mm. Total length of 267 mm.

Provenance: Ex John Woodman Higgins museum collection

Code: 53241