17th century Italian mortar?

Guillaume · 30th April 2013, 05:43 AM

I cast this piece with 16th century technology as outlined in Pyrotechnia (using a "casting powder" bound with sodium silicate) from an example I found online which said it was a "17th CENTURY ITALIAN HAND/SALUTING MORTAR, ca. 1640". From what I have gathered here, it is the consensus in these parts that the absense of a lip to hold powder while upright probably means that this was held in a stock, and therefore not necessarily a signal mortar.

What do you think about the ascribed date/place/function? I will say it's very difficult to light standing up with out a fuse

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(I didnt post a link to the orginal because its part of an online sale and I belive there's a prohibition against that, so I'm just using mine as a reference for the question)

30th April 2013, 05:43 AM	#1
Guillaume Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 10	17th century Italian mortar? I cast this piece with 16th century technology as outlined in Pyrotechnia (using a "casting powder" bound with sodium silicate) from an example I found online which said it was a "17th CENTURY ITALIAN HAND/SALUTING MORTAR, ca. 1640". From what I have gathered here, it is the consensus in these parts that the absense of a lip to hold powder while upright probably means that this was held in a stock, and therefore not necessarily a signal mortar. What do you think about the ascribed date/place/function? I will say it's very difficult to light standing up with out a fuse . (I didnt post a link to the orginal because its part of an online sale and I belive there's a prohibition against that, so I'm just using mine as a reference for the question) Last edited by Guillaume; 30th April 2013 at 03:36 PM.