Gunlock (Flintlock) on a Dummy Breech of a 12-Pounder Carronade 1820

This is a Gunlock on a Dummy Breech of a 12-Pounder Carronade made by Rijkswerf Vlissingen. The lock is made from steel, brass and rope, while the dummy breech is made of wood. The lock on this dummy breech is a scaled-down model of the real thing. The individual parts were forged by blacksmiths, and the steel pieces were shaped through careful hammering and filing. The dummy breech was produced with sawing, carving and joining techniques, and its shape was carefully considered to mimic the real cannon. The material is not just structural, it communicates ideas: the steel and wood embody a naval aesthetic while suggesting power, violence, and war. These gunlocks were made as a way to train naval artillery men the skills required to load and fire cannons. In order to produce these gunlocks, the Rijkswerf Vlissingen engaged with various forms of skilled traditions from blacksmithing and metalworking, to woodwork and ropework. When considered from the perspective of material and making, it's clear that the gunlock represents the coming together of military technology and skilled labor.