A Good Small Bronze/Brass LANTAKA Blunderbuss Swivel Cannon

A Good Antique Small Bronze/Brass LANTAKA Blunderbuss Swivel Cannon, circa. 18th century.  About .50 caliber at breech and flares to about .95 caliber.  12" interior of tube from muzzle to the back of breech; 16.25" overall including the socket caskabel for the tiller. Original post & yoke. The tube has areas of raised decoration with stylized lifting handles over the trunnions. The trunnions measure 2" from tip to tip.  A great looking little swivel cannon !

Note; the swivel cannon is displayed on a later block of wood which will accompany the cannon upon sale.

Ref. Wikipedia; Lantaka: (Rentaka in Malay, also known as Kanyon in Tagolog), a type of bronze cannon mounted on merchant vessels traveling the waterways of Malay Archipelago.  They were used in great numbers and various sizes in precolonial South East Asia especially in Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia.  The guns were primarily used to defend against pirates demanding tribute for the local chief, or potentate.  They varied in weight from a few pounds to over a ton !  The small examples under 200 lbs. were usually mounted with a swivel post & yoke to be set up anywhere on a ship or fortification.  The heavy cannon were mounted on gun carriages.  These cannons were mainly made at the foundries in the Malacca and Pahang with later patterns from the foundries in the Netherlands and Portugal and finally in Brunei.  They became so popular that the Dutch and Portuguese quickly learned that they could make and trade these cannon for goods but also for safe passage through pirate infested waters ! 

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