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LOT 3112
Rare and Highly Desirable Hotchkiss 37mm “1-Pounder”
5-Barrel Revolving Cannon with Iron Carriage - Serial no. 17,
37mm cal., 50 inch round bbl., blue/black/bright finish. This is an
attractive and highly desirable example of a rarely seen Hotchkiss
37mm “1-Pounder” 5-barrel revolving cannon mounted on an iron
carriage. The Hotchkiss revolving cannon is similar in operation
from an outside perspective to the more famous Gatling gun,
though scaled up and with an entirely different internal operating
mechanism; the 37mm bore dwarfs the .45 and .30 caliber Gatlings.
Using a five-barrel cluster, the Hotchkiss cannon is fed with
9-round gravity driven magazines, which would be replaced by
a gunner’s assistant while the gunner operates the elevation and
traverse knobs along with the main crank handle for firing, with
capability of around 68 rounds per minute with a skilled operator
and accuracy up to around 2,000 yards (over a mile). These were
invented in 1872 by Benjamin B. Hotchkiss. Versions were designed
for field, fortress and naval use. They were used by several countries
throughout the world, including the U.S., France, and Russia. A 37
mm Hotchkiss field gun is known to have been used by the U.S.
Army during the Indian Wars including during the Ute Uprising in
Colorado in 1879. Others were used during the Spanish-American
War by both sides. Hotchkiss naval revolving cannons continued to
be used even into World War I primarily as defensive weapons used
by larger vessels against torpedo boats. Marked with a circular
“HOTCHKISS * PATENT/* PARIS 1875 *” around “No 17” on the rear.
“17” marked on the end of the crank. Iron cone front sight with a
detachable elevation and windage adjustable notch rear sight. The
crank handle is iron with a swiveling brass grip, and mounts with a quick release latch. The iron carriage has a large shield, a storage compartment in the rear that has
inserts to hold the included rear sight, oiler, crank handle and firing pin, and a fold out brass tipped transport rod is located on the rear. With this rod out, a single man
can aim the cannon with some effort. “DIREITA” (right) and “ESQUIERDA” (left) marked in Spanish on the brass windage knob on the carriage. Included with the lot is a
modern wood cartridge block spacer for use with cycling unloaded shell casings, and a metal box containing some modern empty shell casings.
CONDITION: Fine, exhibiting a mix of faded old refinished blue finish and brown patina on the barrels with some scattered light pitting, 85% of the applied black
painted finish on the gun breech with smooth brown patina on the balance, the exposed iron surfaces with some scattered patches of light surface pitting and
freckling, and bright golden patina on the brass components. Mechanically fine. Carriage is also fine, retains 85% applied green painted finish with a few areas of
light flaking, and repaired transport rod. The wood spokes on both wheels are professionally made replacements to original specification. This is a rare opportunity to
acquire an attractive example of a large Hotchkiss 37mm “1-Pounder” revolving cannon complete with its iron carriage, a desirable centerpiece in any advanced early
military arms or museum collection!
Estimate: 100,000 - 180,000
Hotchkiss 37mm
“1-Pounder” 5-Barrel
Revolving Cannon
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