Thanks a lot Ward, for both the precious info and the sharing of your excelent examples.
I understand your views in that being a later production doesn't necessarily mean bad stuff. However there is still the question of criteria; i myself prefer things with the seal of antiquity
I see now that Jim was right in that these powder charge measures are referenced in Tirri's book:
as also, after learning their Persian name ( WAZNA-Y-BARUT ), i found them in Stone's Glossary.
Eventually Tirri includes them in the Persia section, whereas Tirri mentions that they exist(ed) throughout Persia and Turkey. Neither quotes Afghanistan, but i can see the involvement, as also your labeled examples.
Amazingly Faganarms has one for sale and tagged it as Ottoman.
http://www.trocadero.com/faganarms/i.../en1store.html
I can see that iron was used in earlier pieces, as also gold and silver inlay in more luxury specimens, and the tubes exterior was often octogonal or even ten sided ( Stone ).
But it appears that brass was used still in the 19th century, although i don't have such certainty in my example. Also i wouldn't know its provenance from amongst the three different regions.
One thing i notice as a "modernity" in this piece is the diverse type of marks in the plunger as, instead of only seeming to regulate half and full charges (?), could also be for the distinct gun types, like pistols and muskets ... just a fantasy of mine
Thanks once again, for above and also possible future coments
.
Fernando