Bronze mortar from Gen. Guevara; markings?

[cannonmn]

The bronze signal mortar pictured in this set of photos was surrendered to the US by Gen. Antonino M. Guevara in 1902. It is 11 inches tall, 8 in. at base, 4 in. at muzzle, and has a 2 in. bore. It weighs 50 lbs. It was cast, almost certainly in the Philippines. It was cast in 1869 and so marked. The number of the piece (No._x), and P_L for 50 lbs. are also marked on it. The last mark I cannot understand at all. It looks like a monogram made up of "M" and "S." What does it mean?

If I had to guess, the mark has something to do with ownership, which would be Spain at that time. Or perhaps it was a mark of the foundry, maybe the big Spanish cannon foundry in Manila. Or perhaps it represents the initials of the master founder at the foundry.

Have you seen this marking before? What does it mean? Does anyone have any detailed information on the Manila foundry, and particularly a list of the varous master founders who worked there?

Use password "attack" to view this slideshow. I think clicking on a thumbnail gives you the large image.

s17.photobucket.com/albums/b62/cannonmn/miscforumsetc/Forums60/Lg%20Thundermug/?albumview=slideshow#/grid

i17.photobucket.com/albums/b62/cannonmn/miscforumsetc/Forums60/Lg%20Thundermug/IMG_0909b.jpg [/img]

Thanks.

[VeeVee]

Wow priceless. Do you have that displayed right by your fireplace

My guess would be the initials of the owner too, just like the AGM one you asked about.

[cannonmn]

Thanks V V,

You could be right, especially if the engraving is different.

I guess the sum total possibilities for that "MS" mark would include:

-post-manufacture personal owner mark, as you indicated
-initials of founder
-initials or logo of foundry
-initials of some military unit which owned it
-symbol of country which originally owned it

I think many of those would drop off after a close inspection or analysis of the engraving itself, if only to determine whether the same "hand" engraved that symbol, as engraved the three other data fields which were almost certainly engraved at the foundry (date, weight, and serial number of the piece.)

One of these days soon I'll print out the photos of all of those fields and compare them under magnification, just don't have the time to do it now.