Lot of 2 Chinese Iron Hand Cannons - 6 & 8 Barrel
East Asia, China, Ming Dynasty, ca. 1368 to 1644 CE. A pair of fantastically preserved iron hand cannons, one of the oldest types of small arms - one with six barrels, one with eight. Each requires manual external ignition through a touchhole, and has no firing mechanism. They were widely used in China from the 13th century (although may have been invented before then based upon the Dazu rock carvings) until the middle of the 16th, when they were supplanted by firearms with triggers, notably the arquebus. The six barreled one has some remaining wood inside its socket, giving an idea of how it would have been mounted on a pole. Size of largest (the 8 barrel one): 3.4" W x 8.75" H (8.6 cm x 22.2 cm)
Provenance: private J.H. collection, Beaverton, Oregon, USA, acquired in January 2010 (taller) and October 2015 (shorter); (shorter) ex-private Arcotec collection, Duluth, Georgia, USA; (taller) ex-Priceless Past, Cumming, Georgia, USA
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#151888
Condition Report: Both are intact with rich deposits and patina. Small chips, nicks, and scratches commensurate with age. The larger has had its patina stabilized with a very thin protective coating. The other has the remains of a wooden pole in its socket that appears to be much more recent than the weapon itself.
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East Asia, China, Ming Dynasty, ca. 1368 to 1644 CE. A pair of fantastically preserved iron hand cannons, one of the oldest types of small arms - one with six barrels, one with eight. Each requires manual external ignition through a touchhole, and has no firing mechanism. They were widely used in China from the 13th century (although may have been invented before then based upon the Dazu rock carvings) until the middle of the 16th, when they were supplanted by firearms with triggers, notably the arquebus. The six barreled one has some remaining wood inside its socket, giving an idea of how it would have been mounted on a pole. Size of largest (the 8 barrel one): 3.4" W x 8.75" H (8.6 cm x 22.2 cm)
Provenance: private J.H. collection, Beaverton, Oregon, USA, acquired in January 2010 (taller) and October 2015 (shorter); (shorter) ex-private Arcotec collection, Duluth, Georgia, USA; (taller) ex-Priceless Past, Cumming, Georgia, USA
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#151888
Condition Report: Both are intact with rich deposits and patina. Small chips, nicks, and scratches commensurate with age. The larger has had its patina stabilized with a very thin protective coating. The other has the remains of a wooden pole in its socket that appears to be much more recent than the weapon itself.
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