Guns & Militaria
Lot 2003:
This is an incredible presentation model of the famous Austro-Hungarian M1911/16 305mm Siege Howitzer Cannon. This highly detailed and moving-part model was painstakingly made and mounted on one large piece of Suchomasty red marble (quarried in Czech region of the Skoda works). The bottom base is smooth and polished and transitions upward to rough texture replicating a mountain ridge. The gun and carriage are attached to the the top and is made of multiple base metal parts. The execution is so intricate and exact that the gears work and does full elevation and full 360″ traverse. The elevation hand crank turns but was not made to engage the gun so the gun moves by hand contact. The rest of the parts are static. We have reviewed all the parts and there appears to be nothing broken or missing. The front of the marble base has a recessed panel for a plaque but it has been removed. Clearly, this was a special presentation piece maybe from the Skoda Works for a very important person or for factory display. The only other known example is on display in the Technicke Museum (Museum of Science and Technology) in Vienna, Austria. The base is 11″ long and 5″ wide. The model stands 8.5″ tall and barrel is 5″ long. Total weight is 19 LB. The M1911/16 has long and storied history. Only 79 were ever made and they were used in both WWI and WWII. This is an exquisite display model and almost one of a kind that could ever become available to the public.
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