Robin, I tried to contact you via PM but it did not go through for some reason.
Do you have any contacts at Woolwich who might have access to an original Grenade Mortar? I bought a British bronze grenade mortar recently, and would like to determine if it is a clever fake or possibly an original. It came from a gun shop who sold it on consignment for an English fellow, now a US resident, who brought this from UK many years ago. He can only vouch for it for the last 30 years or so. He does not know its origin. I would love for someone to compare my mortar (see link to pics below), with an original.
This tube is much heavier than the repro bronze tubes availible. I only have a bathroom scale, but it looks to weigh between 12 and 13 pounds. I'm sure it was originally sand cast, although casting gates and seams were polished off very well. The only place they are evident is down in the chamber where it would be difficult to polish them out. The bore is radioused at the bottom to match the spherical shape of the shell. Most reproduction have a flat bottom in the bore.
The filigree and reinforces are all very detailed. The crown is cast into the body of the tube. The monogram (George 2nd) is hand chased in relief into the bronze. The "No 27" on the trunnion appears to be hand engraved and is well executed. The other trunnion has a hand engraved "W" over a "M". It is not as well executed as the No 27, and appears to have been done later.
Here is a link to the pics:
http://community.webshots.com/album/321614693AddAWq
Measurements:
Weight approximately 12 - 13 lbs
overall length - 7 inches
Trunnion width - 4.87
Trunnion diameter - 1.28
Bore diameter - 2.24
Diameter at muzzle - 3.61
Bore depth - 3.6 approximate
Chamber depth - 2.0 approximate
Muzzle to vent - 5.32
If you don't have a contact, any ideas who might be able to help me with this on your side of the pond? If it is a repro I don't think I hurt myself too bad with the 235 quid I paid for it. ::
Thanks!
Mark Hubbs
[email protected]
P.S. I got my Masters in Archaeology from Leicester University
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v322/threepdr/Full.jpg
Do you have any contacts at Woolwich who might have access to an original Grenade Mortar? I bought a British bronze grenade mortar recently, and would like to determine if it is a clever fake or possibly an original. It came from a gun shop who sold it on consignment for an English fellow, now a US resident, who brought this from UK many years ago. He can only vouch for it for the last 30 years or so. He does not know its origin. I would love for someone to compare my mortar (see link to pics below), with an original.
This tube is much heavier than the repro bronze tubes availible. I only have a bathroom scale, but it looks to weigh between 12 and 13 pounds. I'm sure it was originally sand cast, although casting gates and seams were polished off very well. The only place they are evident is down in the chamber where it would be difficult to polish them out. The bore is radioused at the bottom to match the spherical shape of the shell. Most reproduction have a flat bottom in the bore.
The filigree and reinforces are all very detailed. The crown is cast into the body of the tube. The monogram (George 2nd) is hand chased in relief into the bronze. The "No 27" on the trunnion appears to be hand engraved and is well executed. The other trunnion has a hand engraved "W" over a "M". It is not as well executed as the No 27, and appears to have been done later.
Here is a link to the pics:
http://community.webshots.com/album/321614693AddAWq
Measurements:
Weight approximately 12 - 13 lbs
overall length - 7 inches
Trunnion width - 4.87
Trunnion diameter - 1.28
Bore diameter - 2.24
Diameter at muzzle - 3.61
Bore depth - 3.6 approximate
Chamber depth - 2.0 approximate
Muzzle to vent - 5.32
If you don't have a contact, any ideas who might be able to help me with this on your side of the pond? If it is a repro I don't think I hurt myself too bad with the 235 quid I paid for it. ::
Thanks!
Mark Hubbs
[email protected]
P.S. I got my Masters in Archaeology from Leicester University
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v322/threepdr/Full.jpg
