Renvoize Gun Patented in 1902? – an update by Norman Joplin
Searching through his archives after reading the article by Rob Wilson about gun teams produced by early competitors of Britains (Old Toy Soldier Magazine, Vol 48, No 4), Norman came up with these two images. First, a snippet from a very early British Model Soldier Society Bulletin by Len Richards; and second, part of the original Patent application by Renvoize for a new, more powerful toy cannon.
The article by Len Richards, one of the pioneering authors about toy soldiers, is focused on the production of James Renvoize more generally. Richards states in the article that Renvoize is on record as having applied for a Patent for an artillery piece in 1902, the same year that he was taken to court by Britains for pirating their Imperial Yeomanry cavalry figure.
The copy of the Patent application for the cannon shown here depicts a much larger weapon than the 13- pounder field gun depicted by Britains in their Royal Horse Artillery gun (or the more powerful version provided by Renvoize in their version, as shown in Rob’s article).
The drawing discovered by Norman shows a cannon more similar to Britains 4.7” Naval gun, but with a similar firing mechanism to that used in the Renvoize version of the RHA gun team. In fact the application was submitted in 1900 and completed and accepted in 1901.
