Signal cannons were used aboard ship to make salutes, as a danger, and to call attention in the case of an emergency. They were also used to start yacht races.  These cannons were made in the style of the period in  which they were used.

This is the finest antique small bronze signal or salute cannon we have had in a long time and the first of this type since 2006. It replicates a Dahlgren  Mid 19th Century ship's 11 inch, 32 pound, mussel loading smooth bore of Civil War vintage. Most Dahlgren's were use on board ships, and this one mounts on a wood ship's type carriage. A few were also used as field guns during the Civil War.

 

 

The "soda bottle" design was unique to this style cannon which was invented byRear Adm. John Dahlgren. It became the workhorse of the U.S. Navy throughout the Civil War. These smooth bore, muzzle-loading weapons came in 9", 11" and 15" sizes and fired shells or solid shot. They were originally mounted on heavy wooden carriages in shipboard naval fashion, but the larger versions were mounted on heavy cast-iron carriages that traversed 360 degrees from the deck's centerline. The picture below shows an 11" Dahlgren on the steam sloop-of-war USS Kearsarge. Through the 1880s and 1890s many views of a later-model Dahlgren were circulated under the title "The Gun That Sank the Alabama."

CONDITION: The tube is in excellent condition with only the minor expected marks of age. There are no mold marks or inscriptions. It has one large reinforcing band at the trunnions which has no caps on the carriage. The carriage is partially carved from a tree trunk and may not be original. Its black paint is old and has some minor loss and a few blemishes. 

DIMENSIONS: 

Cannon                    12"                    Length overall 12"
Length barrel          12"                    Bore 9/16" or 56 Cal
Maximum Width       7"                    Weight of cannon   9 pounds
Carriage 4 1/2' x 9 1/4' x 4 1/2"     Weight Carriage 2 lbs 4 oz

This exceedingly fine example is being sold for display purposes only. No attempt should be made to fire it without inspection by a gunsmith.

SHIPPING to 48 contiguous States $30.