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

[Matchlock]

There is a whole number of finely made and preserved trapezoid flasks in my collection, the finest of them all Nuremberg, ca. 1590-1600, the wooden body covered with blue velvet, and retaining its original purple woolen tassels (top attachments).
The spring loaded nozzle cap with its long lever is a feature found only on the best quality trapezoid flasks.

Next: a fine Nuremberg flask, from the deliveries to the Graz armory in 1577/8, the iron mounts tinned, the body covered with green velvet; the nozzle retaining its rare original cap attached by a delicate chain, and the four suspension rings retaining their original fine tassels of interwoven green, red, purple and yellow raw silk and wool!

Following a fine matching priming flask, Nuremberg, 1577/8.

And an Austrian flask, made in a Nuremberg workshop, ca. 1560/70, complete with its spring loaded nozzle cap and lever; the body covered with paper painted green, and the iron mounts retaining much of their original minium (red lead) paint (now mostly hidden beneath an 18th c. black lacquer);
the whole preserved in virtually 'untouched' condition throughout.
The colorful impact of this flasks represents the traditional basic colors of the Late Gothic period, red and green.



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[Matchlock]

A bottom view of my Austrian powder flask, retaining an old inventory paper label.


Next an early Nuremberg flask, ca. 1550-60, the woden body covered with leather, and retaining its original nozzle cap and leather suspension string.

Following two small priming flasks, the one on the left ca. 1560-80, the other of early type, ca. 1540-50.

And two more priming flasks, ca. 1560-80.



All author's collection.



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[Matchlock]

A detached top mount of a trapezoid powder flask; of wrought iron, copper soldered, ca. 1580-1600.

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[Matchlock]

A good sample of a trapezoid musketeer's flask, of North Italian type, ca. 1580-1600 (incorrectly dated "1st half 17th c." by the auction house); the cap missing from the nozzle (the raised brim still visible), the horizontal cut-off lever pierced for the attachment chain (missing as well).

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[Matchlock]

A very good trapezoid flask, Nuremberg, ca. 1580, the wooden body covered with black velvet, the obverse mounts pierced wtith heart-shaped ornaments characteristic of the Nuremberg style, the nozzle cap with spring-loaded push lever, and retaining its reverse belt hook;
together with a small and early priming flask of North Italian type, ca. 1550, the top mount with high underside characteristic of earliest trapezoid flasks, the oberverse with a central medallion depicting Christ seated in an architectural landscape.
Sold Christie's.

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[Matchlock]

Another very arachaic, mid-16th c. North Italian sample covered with embossed leather is preserved in ithe Imperial Castle Nuremberg.
It is only a bit younger than the ca. 1540's flasks shown in posts # 2 and 8 and shows a central medaillon similar to that on the flask in post # 25.

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[Matchlock]

Hi all,


In addition to my studies on earliest trapezoid arquebusier's/musketeer's powder flasks,

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...rapezoid+flask

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...rapezoid+flask

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...rapezoid+flask


I wish to add this important documentation here.


As I have pointed out, the obviously earliest source of period artwork concerning the use of trapezoid flasks are the representations of arquebusiers in the painting The Battle of Pavia (1525) by Ruprecht Heller, dated 1525, preserved in the National Museum Stockholm, inv.no. 272:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...rapezoid+flask


The next-in-line document seems to be the painting by Melchior Feselen, The Battle of Alesia, dated 1533 (Bavarian National Museum Munich):
along with the earliest forms of powder horns, it pictures an arquebusier with a short matchlock arquebus and a trapezoid flask at the hip.

Attached find many details from that wonderful painting that includes all sorts of weapons, edged, hafted, fireams, armor and cannon alike, thus providing perfectly detailed studies for anybody interested in early-16th c. European arms and armor!
I have a 7 MB high resolution scan of that painting; anyone wishing to receive it please send me a message together with your email but make sure that your system is able to receive a 7 MB attachment!


Best,
Michael