A lantaka for your kind comments

[Battara]

An Indonesian lantaka, perhaps Borneo?

[Sajen]

Agree with Jose. And look authentic. BTW, a lantaka is on my wish list as well!

[fernando]

Thank you José and Detlef.
Merci Napoleon.
Any idea of the age ... 19th century ?

[laEspadaAncha]

Your lantaka looks good from the photos, Nando... the trunnions are below the centerline as one would expect on an authentic example. Can you take and post a close-up photo of the touch hole?

Also, I got a kick out of the cat. Our own likes to be around anything that is sharp and pointy or goes bang - especially if there's a camera invovled...

[M ELEY]

Awesome lantaka, Fernando!! I have also always wanted one of these and hope to acquire one someday. Yours looks absolutely authentic. It shows honest aging with some wear to the decorations. Note that yours isn't as 'decorative' as other models, something that I like because it points to its use as a weapon versus as simple window dressing (poorer quality 19th c. pieces were used as currency, as wedding dowry, etc). Judging from the length (27") and size bore (just under 1"), this could have been either a signal gun or as a defensive weapon (or both!). The real small ones are less than a foot (party-poppers!), while the largest are truly huge cannons vs rail guns. They would have fired either a large shot (1/2" ball) or the equivalent of partridge shot. Based on the fact that the trunions are 'closed', yours is post-1750/1800. If the ends of the swivel were open, they would pre-date 1750 (I had to go over some old notes to find that fact!). As far as where it is made, I'll have to look over my notes on these. I seem to remember that the ones with alligator decorations, seahorse designs were Malay? The plainer ones were Borneo? Can't remember...

Good find, my friend!!
Mark

P.S. For those interested in the history/making of these cannons, google 'Cannons of the Malay Archipelago' by Don Davie. I've had this printed article for awhile and tried to attach the link, but it's being difficult!

[M ELEY]

Trying again!

http://www.acant.org.au/Articles/MalayCannons.html

[kahnjar1]

For interest, here are some on display at Fort Siloso in Singapore.
Stu

[fernando]

Originally Posted by M ELEY

Awesome lantaka, Fernando!! I have also always wanted one of these and hope to acquire one someday.

Thanks a million for your kind notes my (pirate ) friend. There were two more left in the shop; if you wish, i can show you the place -
...An thanks for the link to the article; great stuff, which i will save in my 'favorites'.

[fernando]

Originally Posted by laEspadaAncha

... Can you take and post a close-up photo of the touch hole? ---

Sure thing Chris ... and also a close up of the tail interior. I think i will mount a 20 cms. bamboo cane tiller in it ; what do you think ... silly idea?

Originally Posted by laEspadaAncha

... Also, I got a kick out of the cat. Our own likes to be around anything that is sharp and pointy or goes bang - especially if there's a camera involved...

You can't imagine my struggle trying to take pictures of collection items with them five around.
That's why i usually wait for their "siesta" time to perform my photographic sessions

-

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Battara

An Indonesian lantaka, perhaps Borneo?

Indonesia is one thing, Borneo is another, no ?
But now i found an example with origin apparently attributed by a reliable source, said to be Moro from the Sulu Archipelago: HERE
I know nothing of these things, but the bamboo shoots (as per Willem) or fire tongues (as per local source) loock rather similar. Also the shaping of the barrel mouth and breech ring look familiar.
Does this make any sense ?


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