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HMS BOUNTY Fragment of a 9lb cannon ball recovered from the wreck of the HMS Bounty image 1
HMS BOUNTY Fragment of a 9lb cannon ball recovered from the wreck of the HMS Bounty image 2
Lot 5*

HMS BOUNTY
Fragment of a 9lb cannon ball recovered from the wreck of the HMS Bounty

Withdrawn
Amended
Travel & Exploration
1 February 2017, 13:00 GMT
London, Knightsbridge

£3,000 - £4,000

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HMS BOUNTY

Fragment of a 9lb cannon ball recovered from the wreck of the HMS Bounty, with accumulated deposits, varnished, some cracking and flaking, c.100 x 140mm. overall

Footnotes

CANNON BALL FROM THE WRECK OF THE BOUNTY: Only a few fully intact cannon balls from the Bounty have survived and this is believed to be only one of two currently in private hands. Marden was able to locate the Bounty "...by estimating the ship's position from a known group of iron ballast bars close to the shore, then searching for unusual shapes in the limestone-encrusted sea bottom. He cut the objects from the calcareous growths with a hammer and chisel..." and notes "Everything was covered in a hard limy growth..." (Luis Marden, 'I found the Bones of the Bounty', National Geographic Magazine, December 1957, vol. CXII, no. 6, p.725-789.)

A Polynesian woman, Jenny, who arrived with the mutineers, describes how "the property from the ship was landed principally on the raft, by means of a rope fastened to the rocks. When all they wanted was brought ashore, they began to consider what they should do with the vessel. Christian wished to save her for a while. The others insisted on destroying her in the fore part. Shortly after two others went off and set fire to her in different places". From later examination of the wreck it appears that the ship's cannon and heavy ordnance were left on board, the mutineers either unable to transport it ashore or left because they did not have enough powder to use it (Nigel Erskine, director of the Pitcairn Project, quoted on archive.archeology.org).

Provenance: Luis Marden, recovered from the wreck site in Bounty Bay, Pitcairn Island in January 1957; thence private collection from which acquired by the present owner.

Saleroom notices

THIS LOT HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN

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