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Help with "Proof Marks" on Model Cannon

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JoJo

Pilgrim
Joined
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Hi Everyone,

Can someone please help me ID what appears to be proof or maker's marks on the base of this small model cannon? They appear to be 2 'Oak Leaves' at each side of the stamped numbers.

The cannon I believe I've ID the type as a 15th C. Hussite Houfnice (Howitzer)???? Given its material (iron and wood) and detailed hand-made workmanship, my guess is it dates to the 19th C. ?????

Overall Size is Approx: 12 x 6 x 4-1/4 inches.
Cannon Size Approx: 4 x 1-1/4 inches.
Bore Approx: 5/8 inch.

Thank you all in advance for your time and thoughts.

P.S. - my apologies for the poor images, best I could do for now.

Kind regards
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That mark may be for 1-4-10 which would most likely be "1 April, 1910" or it could also be "January 4th, 1910", but the Germans tend to put the day numeral first, then the month..., and the oak leafs look like the pre-1968 stampings for Kiel, Germany.

Here is reportedly a Kiel stamp from 1950

KIEL PRE 1968 Stamp.JPG


LD
 
Thank you both so much for your replies and thoughts, most appreciated!

That Kiel Proof Mark looks nearly identical to the marks on my piece. I wonder if this was/is a piece made by a former J.P. Sauer & Sohn worker? or some other German Gun Manufacturer worker made personal piece? Similar to how some antique cabinet makers made miniature versions of dressers, hutches and the like for their personal use/collection. I say this because I've researched for MANY hours, and searched almost every action record I could think of and haven't found one example of my model cannon......................................at least any that come close to the detail in-which my piece has. In fact, out of hundreds, if not a thousand or so model cannons I've come across while researching, none appear to have the hand-forging that mine has. With all those tiny hammer-marks throughout. I assume its's quite difficult to forge such a piece as opposed to casting?

Any thoughts on restoration/conservation? It has some very light surface rust and the wood is dry.
 
IMO it has the look of something that is realistically aged by having undergone the process, and that patina is part of it. Trying to remove rust would remove the years it has existed, although perhaps a product like Renaissance Wax might enliven the wood somewhat and also protect the metalwork. It seems to work on literally hundreds of thousands of museum pieces all over the world..
 
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The eichenlaub stamp is similar to that seen on firearms proofed at Eckernforde [Kiel] as noted above, but only after 1952, and usually in ones, so this is possibly being used as a decoration, a favourite motif in Teutonic circles.

The piece is also drilled through, which means, to me, that it is capable of firing, and although the maker would have been able to keep it, he could not sell it in any of the fourteen CIP countries, of which Germany is one, without it having been subject to proof. So let's assume that it was actually MADE to be shot, and proofed accordingly at Kiel. Where are the other proof marks, giving loading details, size of calibre et al?

AAMOI, forging a national proof mark is a very serious offence in any of the CIP nations, but of course, if you live in the USA, nobody gives a hoot about such minor details. I mention that you might live in the USA because all the dimensions you provide are imperial, rather than metric.

It is a very fine model, whatever it might turn out to be.
 
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