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Old cannons may not appear to be the most collectible of items. Their size, weight, style and purpose tend to count against them. Nonetheless, there is a steady niche market for cannons that proves they are taken as seriously as other military antiques.

The earliest forms of cannon were lengths of bamboo filled with gunpowder that Arabic and Chinese soldiers employed for firing large pellets and arrows. This principle of using gunpowder and projectiles for warfare did not fully develop in Europe until the fourteenth century when wide-mouthed, bronze cannons were built for blockades of towns and castles.

These siege machines could not be fired more than a few times a day. They were also prone to burst and cause carnage among nearby troops. In 1460, a cannon that was fired to signal the end of the siege of Roxburgh exploded and killed the victor, King James II of Scotland.

Cannons did eventually become safer - at least for the people using them. The cast iron models built from around the end of the sixteenth century by the British came to be regarded as some of the most reliable and effective. These were very heavy, however, and soldiers would often use lighter bronze cannons if they needed greater mobility.

The cannonballs were originally made from stone or iron, the latter sometimes covered with lead. Solid lead balls tended to be for the smaller bore cannons. Cast iron balls came into almost exclusive use from around 1700.

Today, antique cannons range from those you can hold in your arms to the giants that require a small crane to move. The smaller ones were forerunners of guns, and were mounted on poles to provide stability. The larger ones may come with their original carriage if they were used on land. They are more likely to be without a mount if they were salvaged from a sunken ship.

For a collector, wrecks can be the main source of cannons. Warships obviously had a large amount on board, but merchant ships also had a limited number for defence or ceremonial use.

The nationality of such ships is generally Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch or English. They are usually located on the scenes of battles, or along the old trade routes to the Caribbean and the East Indies.

Cannons are functional rather than decorative. Although you may find a raised crest, and possibly marks relating to the provenance, there is unlikely to be much more in the way of embellishment. The few ornamented cannons that do come to the market generally fetch the highest prices.

As with all antiques, watch out for fakes. Speak to the dealer about the cannon's history and, if in doubt, check the historical facts. If you are buying a cannon from a recently salvaged wreck on the other side of the world, you might also want to confirm that there are no export restrictions.

Finally, never try to fire an antique cannon, no matter what you may be told!

Learn more about this author, Kevin Watson.
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