A FINE PAIR OF FRENCH BRONZE SALUTING CANNON, FIRST HALF OF THE 18TH CENTURY, FROM A LARGER GARNITURE, PROBABLY MADE FOR LOUIS DE NOAILLES, 4TH DUC DE NOAILLES AND 1ST DUC D' AYEN (1713-93) with tapering multi-stage barrels, with raised astragal mouldings, chiselled with the names 'Porte-Efroy' and 'Turc à Maure' on a scroll on the respective chases, finely chiselled with the owner's arms beneath the coronet of a marquis, and supported by two angels wearing tabards and carrying banners semés de lys on the first reinforce, chiselled scallop shell vents, globose cascables numbered '3' and '8' respectively, plain trunnions, and in fine untouched condition throughout: each on a later iron-clad wooden field carriage with iron-shod spoke cambered wheels (the iron work loose in places, cap-squares missing) 67cm; 26 3/8in barrels 3cm; 1 1/8in bores (2) The arms are those of the Noailles family. The second, third and fourth Ducs de Noailles became Marshals of France in 1693, 1734 and 1775 respectively and the family figured prominently in the church as well as in the French army. The family possessed five marquessates, those of d'Arpajon, de Maintenon, de Montclar, de Mouchy and de Noailles. The supporters of the arms on these cannon are notable in their usage of semés de lys which might imply a close connection with the Royal family at the time. Louis de Noailles, 4th Duc de Noailles and 1st Duc d' Ayen (1713-93) was a soldier from the age of 16 and a close personal friend of King Louis XV. The names of the cannon are indicative of the effect that they were intended to have upon an enemy, as is common on French and other cannon of this period. To behave to someone Turc à Maure was to treat them savagely and without pity, in the manner associated with Turks and Moors by Western European observers in the Age of Enlightenment. Porte-Efroy is pre-Revolution French for porte-effroi, which may be translated as something that carries, or brings, terror.