It could be made by Premier who also made the Britains look alike 18 inch howitzer although they called the Premier version the 155 mm howitzer which I have one. While the 25 pounder gun awaits to be added to my collection. I don't know about if they did make the 4.5 inch howitzer or no,t although I am basing my assumption on, if Premier had produced those two two I have mentioned, then it is likely they produced yours. Could you have a real close look and see who actually made the 4.5 inch gun you have and was it made in Japan or Hong Kong.

Google images.



Below is the real British 4.5 inch short barrel QF howitzer maned by New Zealand troops. Nothing like the Britains Ltd well in a small way yes.

I have a few Premiers, 3 18 pounders (which are so close to Britains 1201s that the parts are interchangeable). and a big split tail gun that I think is a Premier.

While I don't own a Premier 4.5 howitzer, they are very close to a Britains 4.5, but with smaller wheels, if I remember correctly.

The Mystery 4.5 howitzer has no markings on it at all - nothing. Usually, you can find a "Japan" mark somewhere on a Premier.

Other reasons I thought it was a Crescent can be seen below:



The paint on the upended Crescent 5.5 is an exact match to the mystery 4.5, and both are riveted in a unique manner. if you look very closely at the riveting, you can see that both the 5.5 (trail pivot posts) and the upended 4.5 (tailpiece posts) are riveted in a cross-crinkle punch pattern. It's not much to base my assumptions on, but there appears to be some common theme here. You can also see heavy post riveting of the front cast shield of my second mystery 4.5, whereas I think hollowed riveting or screws are more common in the other brands (though Crescent used hollowed rivets in it's 25 pounder).

I like that vintage picture of the 4.5 howitzer, The mystery 4.5 shield looks similar to the profile of the real gun, but none of the toy 4.5s I have seen have tyres like that.

All Crescent toy Co Ltd guns and vehicles have their trade name and Made in England inscribed on them. So, if there is no identification on the mystery gun concerned then I see no relationship apart from the gun being a copy by someone, somewhere, somehow.

My question is on the gun turned upside down on the right of the screen. Is that a tin pressing instead of being a cast part. Can easily be tested with a magnet.

It always pays to take an photo of the item being discussed from likes of eBay as their image only lasts for 60 days or so. By taking the image being discussed then it lets future readers who surf by with a good idea what we are debating by the image.

The Crescent 25 pounder is the only toy gun styling that really tried to emulate the real gun concerned.

The only other gun that Crescent Toy Co Ltd made as far as I know is the 155 mm Long Tom.





Cheers.

Below is the Britains Ltd 18 inch howitzer in the front of the Premer Made in Japan version of the 18 inch howitzer. Note the rubber treads on the Premer version. Even thou Britains Ltd emulated their design from the 8 inch howitzer from World War One.



Very interesting discussion. Cheers.

I have added another Naval 4.7 inch gun to my collection. This is the best I have obtained from the original version with the enclosed diecast trail leg. First produced from 1906 until 1915 when Britains Ltd changed to the open spring for easer replacement if the flat spring had snapped off. Both these guns had the word Depose Rd 388707 on each of the parts barrel wheels and gun carriage trail leg. The French word Depose meaning registered or filed for registration as a French toy. This is when Britains opened up a office in France then later a production facility or factory. In other words the gun was registered for sale in France and that was about 1906/07.


My latest gun is on the left had side of the photo.

Take a bit of a walk around for a look see.

This is the second time I have bought or won a gun from this seller.

Close up of the sighting elevation range plate.

Close up of the elevation screw. The thread on the shaft looks new compared to some of the others that become clogged with something from the play pit.

On top of the enclosed trail there can be seen some hollows caused be the alloy cooling to quickly or locking in air in the diecasting mould.





This problem ceased after Britains Ltd changed over to the exposed flat spring system which was a lot easer to replace the clock winding flat spring metal.

Here are the flat spring metal and by the looks of the gun on the left hand side of the photo this gun is in very good condition seen as it is over 100 years old. The one on the right is one of my first guns that I had obtained a long time ago now.

I really believe these guns are so well made and impressive, considering the technical possibillities at that tiome.
Very interesting reading and looking at the photos makes me appreciate these very much