BRUNEI: brass cannon money (3463g), 19th to early 20th century, SS-p.529, Op-p.100, 7.63 lbs, known in Malay as rentaka, comprising a 435mm-long barrel (21mm caliber) attached with swivel handle underneath, undecorated except a single heart near the fuse hole, used as a practical hand-held weapon and as currency in Brunei, Sabah, Sarawak and other parts of Southeast Asia, Choice VF, RR, ex Jürgen M. Wilmes Collection. These miniature cannons were made of various metals including bronze, brass, copper, and iron, and were actually fired on important occasions such as weddings and the birth of children. Valued by weight at $25-30 a picul, they were used extensively for a multitude of purposes, such as the barter of goods, bride price, payment of fines and the purchase of slaves (a slave being valued in piculs of brass guns). With the introduction of coins, these cannons gradually fell out of use. Many were also melted down during World War II, which accounts for their rarity today.

Estimate: USD 400 - 600