GUEST: It's a Spanish cannon. It was found by my wife's uncle Harry while he was digging in his garden in Boulder, Colorado. When he passed away in the late 1990s, his wife gave me the cannon.
APPRAISER: I think this cannon is, uh, Spanish colonial, and it dates to the late 17th century- early 18th century. This type of cannon is known as a swivel gun. I believe that it was used on a keelboat. The Spanish made many expeditions into the outer parts of the territory and also into the Great Plains. They used to navigate these rivers in these keelboats, and at some point or other, they would actually have to get out and carry the boat and all of its contents till they got to the next river. They probably had too much weight, and they probably abandoned the cannon. At auction, I would conservatively put an estimate of $8,000 to $12,000 on it.
GUEST: (inhales)
APPRAISER: I've been in this business a long time, and I've never seen one before.
