I was browsing a large historical gun auction at ProxiBid and this cannon caught my eye. It is an eight barrel hand cannon, apparently from somewhere in Asia, and is just 9″ in length. The small size, combined with the fact that each barrel has its own touchhole, makes me think this was the medieval equivalent of a close quarters hand gun.

It would nave had a wooden pole attached to the end. The operator would hold the pole under their arm and rotate it in order to access the touch holes. The very short and small caliber barrels combined medieval-quality gun powder would have made this an inefficient weapon. I suppose it could be used as a mace or club in a pinch, although the wire winding does not look like it could take a lot of damage.

The opening bid on this is $125 with an estimate value of $500-$800. The auction is on July 19 at 9 AM Eastern.