TWO 18th century cannons will be sold at Tullochs Auctions' new Invermay warehouse today, with more than 900 other items.
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The cannons were brought to Tasmania from Norfolk Island in 1850 by Captain Samuel Tulloch.
Tullochs Auctions' director Scott Millen said Captain Tulloch brought the cannons back as ballast, to add extra weight to his ship for stability.
``At that point in time, Captain Tulloch owned land and a warehouse that was on the site where Neil Buckby Motors is now,'' Mr Millen said.
``He had these two cannons dug into the ground when he arrived acting as bollards at the gate.''
Mr Millen said as far as could be determined, the ``posts'' stayed on the site until the 1960s, when they were moved to Captain Tulloch's St Leonards property Dunedin.
He said many Launceston residents remembered the cannons and they were being auctioned as Dunedin had also been sold.
``We've sold cannons over the years, but they've only been miniature starter cannons,'' Mr Millen said. ``These are full blown ones that would blow you apart, so we're not too sure what we'll get for them.''
He estimated between $2000 and $4000 for each.
The company moved into its new Herbert Street auction house last week.
There is space behind the spacious three-room warehouse for more than 100 cars to park, and on auction days people are asked to drive in via the overflow car park off Churchill Park.
Today's auction will start at 9am and will also include a rare teak ship captains bed owned by Captain Tulloch, a John Glover painting and a 1940s National O-style resonator guitar with a Goldentone amplifier.