Expert: Ralph Salier - 10/27/2010

Question
I am a plumbing contractor in Houston Texas and some 8 or 9 years ago my labor crew was replacing a sewer line in Pasadena Texas. They brought in a ball that is made of bronze or copper which is about 4 to 5 inches wide. It has a round plug if you will with two holes in it that looks like a tool of some kind fit in to turn it. There is a fuse hole that looks like it was cast into the ball when it was poured. There is the number 12 in large letters stamped on it and rite below that are the letters spelling GILL in an old army type shield. I have been looking on the Internet and can't find anything that looks like it. I will be glad to send pictures and would appreciate any help you could give me in identifying its origin. Thank you in advance : Stephen Berber

Answer
Hi Stephen,  

Yes, Please send me some pics including the area of the fuse and shield emblem.  Also place a ruler next to it for scale.  The two holes in the round plug are for a "plug tool" to remove the plug for filling and setting the fuse. If it is bronze, then it could be French in origin.  

Please send the pics  to rsalier@hotmail.com and put bronze cannon ball in the subject line.

I'll take a look and provide my opinions and recommendations.  In the mean time, please be aware that it could still be live.  Recently a father and son were seriously injured by a cannon ball that exploded while the father was cutting the ball in half to see what was inside. They have recovered but it could have been far worse.  Keep it out o the sun and don't drop it on to a hard surface.