Earliest Arquebusier's and Musketeer's Trapezoidal Powder Flasks, ca. 1530-1590

[Matchlock]

A small priming flask, the nozzle with rare spring-loaded cover, ca. 1580.

Schloss Burgk, Thuringia.
Author's photos.

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[Matchlock]

A third instance of one of the first and rarest type of trapezoidal powder flasks, combined with a leather pouch, and from the same series as the ones in post #2, ca. 1540, is preserved in the Polish Army Musem Warsaw, incorrectly dated '2nd half 17th c.'

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[Matchlock]

Three samples of surviving small trapezoidal priming flasks of earliest type, ca. 1540:

- Munich Armory Stadtmuseum), one piece only, seen amidst others of later type of ca. 1560-80 (color attachments)

- French private collection(s): Robert Marquisset/Jean-Pierre Yven, Poires à poudre, 1990, nos. 36 & 37 (b/w attachments)
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[Matchlock]

Saxon trapezoidal powder flasks with leather pouch, 1560's, the iron mounts blued, and retaining their original leather suspension strings with wooden beads on the draw-strings;
please note the archaic form of the serpent-shaped vertical cut-off:

Castle Museum Schwerin, Germany (top) and Wallace Colln., London (center);

and a rare variant of drop-like shape: Castle Museum, Schwerin (bottom.

Proveance: The Saxon Royal Collections.

Schwerin items: author's photos.


Further samples of both types: author's collection.


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[Matchlock]

Two Saxon trapezoidal flasks with leather pouch, 1560's-1570, both of finest quality, the iron mounts profusely etched, for officers of the Trabantenleibgarde of the Saxon Elector August (1553-1586):

Victoria & Albert Museum, London.


Pleaese note that on the first item, even the rings for suspension strings are etched!


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[Matchlock]

A rare German priming flask, probably Nuremberg, ca. 1580, the iron mounts figured and the top mount hinged for easy refills.
Height 18 cm.

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[Matchlock]

An arquebusier of Henry VIII's army, ca. 1540, carrying a trapezoid flask on his back.

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