THIS OUTSTANDING PIECE OF ORDNANCE HOLDS THE MOST EXCEPTIONAL DIVERSITY OF CAST AND HAMMER-ENGRAVED MARKINGS WE HAVE SEEN. ORDERED, PRODUCED FOR AND BEARING THE CREST OF THE DUTCH EAST INDIA COMPANY, ZEELAND VOC MIDDELBURG, IT IS DATED 1753 ON THE BASERING, IT IS MARKED WITH AS YET UNIDENTIFIED TOWN MARKS OF A CROWN, LARGE "J" AND THREE PARALLEL HORIZONTAL BLOCKS. THE 1½-INCH BORE, THE 3/4 MARKINGS INDICATE THE CANNON RATING OF SHOT IN POUNDS.
MOST UNUSUAL IS WHAT IS BELIEVED TO BE ANCIENT INDONESIAN ARABIC SCRIPT INSCRIBED DOWN THE BARREL LENGTH. NO QUESTION THAT THE COMPANY WOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED SUCH LETTERING IN THE ORIGINAL CASTING, WHICH MAKES THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THIS CANNON WAS PIRATED CAPTURED OR GIFTED VERY HIGH. LANGUAGE SCHOLARS HAVE DETERMINED IT CONTAINS AT LEAST A PROPER NAME; FURTHER INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING TO DECIPHER THE ENTIRE PHRASE.
A FINE MODERN TEAK CARRIAGE WITH BRASS HARDWARE HAS BEEN SPECIFICALLY MADE IN EXACTING PERIOD-STYLE FOR THIS CANNON. REMNANTS OF A GREEN PAINT COAT LINGER IN SOME OF THE DEEPEST IMPRESSIONS, ACCENTING THE EXCELLENT AGED PATINA OF THE BRONZE BARREL. A VERY DESIRABLE AND UNUSUAL BRONZE CANNON.
CANNON DIMENSIONS: LENGTH: 45 INCHES, BORE: 1⅞ INCHES, MUZZLE DIAMETER: 5½" COMBINED WITH CARRIAGE 50 INCH LENGTH, 23 INCH HEIGHT </P.
