6. Hardware

6.56 BULLET BLOCKS. Excellent matched pair of scarce 19th century rigging pulleys known as “bullet blocks” because of their sculpted oval shape. These early blocks have shaped cheeks formed of carved solid mahogany. The internal sheaves are made of dense lignum vitae wood secured on pivots rove through both sides of each block. These identical blocks measure 4 inches long by 2 ½ inches in diameter. Outstanding original condition. Very rare to find a matched pair of working ship’s tackle surviving in such remarkable original condition. 149/pr

6.55  OYSTER KNIFE.  A utilitarian yet uniquely decorative device used by sailors to open oyster shells. This particularly handsome example has a tapering hardened steel blade with an original whale tooth handle. The hilt of the knife blade is actually inset into the handle for strength and there are signs that the tang likely extends to the end of the handle where is covered by an ivory plug.  The sides of the handle are expertly-engraved with charming images of a fox and a rooster within leafy foliate borders.  The blade itself measures 3 1/8 inches in length and the knife is 5 5/8 inches long overall.  The handle is about 7/8 inches thick. Excellent original condition throughout.  The blade exhibits light spotting indicative of its age, but no corrosion or damage.  The blade does not appear to be commercially made, but was likely fabricated on board a whaler by the ship's blacksmith.   250

6.51  MASSIVE FLARE GUN.  Impressive World War II flare gun with a very heavy solid bronze chamber and grip.  This authentic signaling device is embossed on the handle "INTERNATIONAL FLARE SIGNAL CO. TIPPECANOE CITY OHIO."   The body is stamped "D 67" on both sides.  The handle is cross hatched to assure a firm grip.  The large trigger activates the firing pin properly.  There is a suspension loop on the butt which attaches to a sailor-made cotton lanyard.  The barrel tips forward for breech loading by means of a spring-loaded lever just forward of the hammer.  The steel barrel has a bore of 1 3/8 inches.  The action is tight and smooth.  Approximately 11 ½ inches long by 8 ½ inches high.  Excellent original condition.  495

6.54  FLARE GUN.  World War II vintage flare pistol adopted by the U.S Army and Navy in July 1942.  This 37 mm gun is marked "EVCC U.S. PROPERTY PYROTECHNIC M-8, Serial No. E-173476."  The butt of the grip is stamped with an ordnance cartouche and the inspector's mark "P."   The gun is of hefty steel construction with hard rubber grips.  The bore is 1 9/16 inches and the barrel is 4 1/8 inches long.  The entire unit is 8 inches tall.  The two levers allow  pivoting of the barrel forward for loading and extracting the spent cartridge.  Excellent original condition.  Fully functional.  395

6.47  LIFE SAVING CANNON.   Very impressive World War II vintage or earlier cannon used by the Coast Guard (and previously the U.S. Lifesaving Service) to rescue crewmen on vessels stranded on inaccessible shores.  Also known as a line throwing cannon, this apparatus was made by the “SCULLER Safety Corp. No. 1561, 122 Broad Street New York” as stamped on the oval brass maker’s plate on top of the breach.  This muzzle loader has a solid steel barrel 28 inches long with a barrel diameter of 3 5/8 inches and a bore of 2 ½ inches.  The end of the muzzle is stamped with the matching serial number “1561” and the safety inspector’s initials “J.R.H.”  The barrel is encased by a thick bronze sleeve surrounding the midsection.  It rests on its original cast iron carriage 26 inches long by 12 ½ inches wide.  The entire assembly measures 32 inches long and weighs 180 pounds.  The breech end of the cannon is attached to the carriage by a thick, round fulcrum which pivots between two brass trunnions.   For elevation the carriage is equipped with a “T” bar which fits into any of 3 successively higher holes.  The cannon is complete with its rarely found percussion firing system marked, “COSTON SUPPLY CO NEW YORK.”  It takes a .32 caliber blank activated by a lanyard which releases a spring-loaded firing pin.  Included in this offering is the original wooden ram rod 32 inches long and an authentic lifesaving projectile embossed “CROSBY-LAUGHLIN” and stamped “U.S.L.S.S.” which is 28 inches long and weighs 18 pounds.  This cannon is in outstanding, near pristine condition, fully complete and functional* as it was made over 80 years ago. Price Request 

Ex. Collection Contra Costa Historical Society, Antioch, California.

In his landmark book entitled “The Lifesaving Guns of David Lyle,” J.P. Barnett, 1974, South Bend Replicas, Inc., the author discusses the firing mechanism on pages 64-66.  The “marine type” was developed in 1936 and became the standard throughout the Coast Guard.  Its use was widespread prior to World War II and became required of all guns manufactured after April 1944.  A similar projectile is shown on page 68.  A similar gun is shown on page 70.  On page 73 the results of firing such a cannon using 3 ounces of black powder at elevations of 20 – 30 degrees are shown.  Ranges from 800 to 924 feet were recorded.

*  IMPORTANT!  West Sea Company disavows any responsibility for the results of attempting to fire this cannon.   Please see the CAUTION disclaimer.