This rare French 1lb, two inch bore, bronze cannon sits on its original stepped naval style carriage. This gun features an outstanding rich, dark green patina maintained in rare condition for a piece of this age.
The cannon is a French model 1786 Pierrier, with the number designating the year the design was formalized and adopted as a standard. Historians believe that this cannon was the first French standardized model swivel gun. Pierrier were relatively short guns firing medium weight solid shot, designed for close range battering. Pierriers are similar to later carronades. The 1786 Pierrier were considered such good guns that they remained in use in the French Navy until 1854. Some were even converted to percussion lock.
The vent of this cannon is particularly unique- a 4 1/2" integrated iron vent sits at the breach which due to patina and pitting appears to be of age with the iron on the carriage. French records dated 1785 show drawings of this same type of vent so this may be an early version of the 1786, cast the previous year before the standard was completely finalized.
In this period, bronze cannon were preferable but more costly and time consuming to make and a very small percentage of cannons made in France were bronze, most were iron. An artillery text in written in 1780 notes that bronze was nine to ten times as expensive as iron. Unlike iron, bronze doesn't rust, important at sea when rust could make shot stick in the tube. If a cannon were to fail, iron would be a greater danger, likely to shatter and cause damage to men or ship, where bronze artillery would likely only split. Bronze could be cast to tighter tolerances; the tubes could be thinner, saving weight and they tended to be more accurate. A smaller caliber bronze cannon could be used on the top deck forward or aft and aimed at ships pursuing or being pursued by the vessel. Lower cannon decks could take larger caliber guns made of iron; heavier and unlikely to move out of their ports, these would be used for broadside shots amidships.
Any bronze artillery of this age is rare since many were melted down and recast as required for later conflicts. No bronze was safe from those seeking scrap- gun suitable bronze was so desired that not only cannon were taken from defeated foes, but also bells and anything else of copper or brass available were considered fair spoils of battle.
Overall this is an excellent example of a rare French cannon with outstanding presentation and appearance.
