A cannonball ... a pommel ... or what ?

Norman McCormick · 27th December 2012, 03:40 PM

Hi Fernando,
I've just finished watching an episode of a show on U.K. television called The Antiques Roadshow. The military expert was discussing a ball from grapeshot that was supposedly dug out of the maintop of the Victory. Regardless of whether the story was true or not the interesting part from your point of view was that the expert identified the ball as definitely grapeshot that had been fired as it was not symmetrical but had dimples and facets where the shot had collided with each other when travelling up the barrel. He, the expert, was quite specific on this point and was adamant that he could identify the item as used grapeshot because of the facets and dimples. This would seem to add a lot of credence to your 'grapeshot ball'. Hope this helps.
My Regards,
Norman.

fernando · 27th December 2012, 03:56 PM

Great stuff, Norman

But probably (potentialy) this is not the same case; the facets in mine look too perfect to be accidental ... but moulded before use, i'd say.
I wish i could have sight of the example they talk about

... But i will be digesting your post for a while, anyhow.
Thanks a lot

.

27th December 2012, 03:40 PM	#1
Norman McCormick Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,632	Hi Fernando, I've just finished watching an episode of a show on U.K. television called The Antiques Roadshow. The military expert was discussing a ball from grapeshot that was supposedly dug out of the maintop of the Victory. Regardless of whether the story was true or not the interesting part from your point of view was that the expert identified the ball as definitely grapeshot that had been fired as it was not symmetrical but had dimples and facets where the shot had collided with each other when travelling up the barrel. He, the expert, was quite specific on this point and was adamant that he could identify the item as used grapeshot because of the facets and dimples. This would seem to add a lot of credence to your 'grapeshot ball'. Hope this helps. My Regards, Norman.

27th December 2012, 03:56 PM	#2
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Great stuff, Norman But probably (potentialy) this is not the same case; the facets in mine look too perfect to be accidental ... but moulded before use, i'd say. I wish i could have sight of the example they talk about ... But i will be digesting your post for a while, anyhow. Thanks a lot .