Arrrr...
Sorry, couldn't resist. Had some rare time on my hands, so I thought I'd take a pic of a couple items. Here we have a Queen Ann style cannon barrel pocket pistol. Despite its size, it was a .45 cal! Two types existed of this pistol, with this being the true "pocket" size. A favorite of sea captains who carried them in their great coats while visiting the local port taverns. They likewise saw sea service on privateers. This one dates to circa 1770.
The other item is a grenado, from which the hand grenade we all know descended from. It was small enough to store in buckets and carried up into the Great Tops. The hole would have had a fuse thrust through a wooden tube/plug. These things really could turn the tide of a successful boarding. During John Paul Jones great naval fight off Flamborough Head, the battle was won by a sailor in the rigging dropping handfuls of these on the British ship's deck. This specimen still has the congealed powder/explosive visible down the hole. Wouldn't want to throw this one in a fireplace-
