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LOT 91
Revolutionary War Attributed Verbruggen Style 3-Pounder “Grasshopper” Cannon with Carriage - , 3 inch. Appointed to the heavy artillery foundry at the Hague in 1755, Jan Verbruggen was responsible for introducing horizontal boring (a Swiss invention)
to the Netherlands, which had the potential to greatly increase the consistency and speed of cannon boring. Verbruggen experienced a number of political and mechanical problems
at his post and was finally run out of the country along with his son Pieter in 1770 after it was discovered that he had
been altering and repairing his cannons between boring and proofing to obscure flaws in the casting process. Relocating to England, Jan and Pieter accepted positions with the Royal Brass Foundry at Woolwich, which they helped turn from an outdated facility to one of the
top producers in the empire. By the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, the Verbruggens had Woolwich up
to speed, with some sources naming the Verbruggen
as the most commonly recovered cannons on the battlefields of the War of Independence. The 3-pounder, nicknamed the “Grasshopper” was designed for use by light infantry units, being light enough to be transported by a single horse, strapped to pack animals, or broken down and hauled by men across terrain that would
be inaccessible for heavier weapons. This reproduction
Verbruggen style cannon measures 47 inches long from
muzzle to rear tip and 11 inches wide at the trunnions, with
a bore measuring 3 inches. The only visible marking is a “2” on
the right trunnion. The green reproduction carriage with black
iron hardware has a wheel height of 40 inches and measures approximately 60 inches wide. The reproduction carriage is fitted
with iron bound 12 spoke wheels, an elevation wheel, and includes
a vent pick. Measures approximately 82 inches in overall length as it sits with the cannon in the carriage.
CONDITION: Fine, the brass cannon exhibits an attractively aged darkened patina with traces of weathered black paint visible on the tube. The reproduction carriage is very good with most of its green painted finish, some large cracks underneath the trunnion area, and half of the black painted finish on the iron fittings.
Estimate: 15,000 - 25,000
LOT 92
Civil War Cyrus
Alger & Co. Iron
Mortar - Serial
no. 228. This Civil
War era mortar has
Cyrus Alger & Co.
of Boston maker
markings on top
of the tube and is
of an unidentified
pattern. Mortars
such as this were
small and thus
readily man-
portable using as
few as two men
and could be used
from within trenches during siege operations. The bore measures approximately 4 1/4 inches
at the muzzle and is approximately 15 inches deep including the chamber. The tube itself measures approximately 22 inches from muzzle to the end of the ball and 16 inches wide at the trunnions. Marked “228” between flash hole and cascabel on tube. Sitting on a concrete base.
CONDITION: Very good with 60% old applied black paint with scattered flaking and moderate to mild pitting, and faint markings.
Estimate: 9,500 - 16,000