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Old 28th April 2018, 04:14 PM   #1
chiefheadknocker
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Default IS THIS A PERSIAN POWDER FLASK ?

Ive been told this is a Persian powder flask , whats your opinion please ,
it measures 13cm in length
thanks
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Old 28th April 2018, 04:37 PM   #2
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I don't believe that this is a powderflask because the thread of its stopper, at least I have never seen a powderflask with such a detail.
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Old 28th April 2018, 05:42 PM   #3
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Hi Chief

While it could have been used to carry powder, I agree with Corrado here. It would take too long to retrieve the powder with a screw cap. Especially if needing to re-load for a second shot.

In any case, it is certainly a neat looking flask. I have no clue as to it's origin.
What is the approximate length and diameter ?

Rick
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Old 28th April 2018, 06:03 PM   #4
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It does not look Persian and I doubt it is a powder flask. Whatever it is it looks more European to me.--bbjw
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Old 28th April 2018, 06:12 PM   #5
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hi rick , thanks for your reply , I'm thinking along the same line as maybe to carry powder but then I could be miles off and its for something entirely different ,its 13cm long and only 3.4 cm at the widest point , I would love to know what it was for , its very well made and shows good age and ware .
all the best
chief
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Old 28th April 2018, 06:18 PM   #6
colin henshaw
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I would guess its a bell-pull, or something similar.
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Old 28th April 2018, 06:34 PM   #7
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hi there , I can see where your coming from , but then why would they make it hollow with a screw stopper and an attached carrying ring on the side ?
thanks for your input
regards
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Old 28th April 2018, 06:55 PM   #8
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It's Indian.
It reminds me these little bronze fishes.
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Old 28th April 2018, 10:05 PM   #9
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My bet, would be on it being a snuff (powdered tobacco) flask.
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Old 28th April 2018, 10:23 PM   #10
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It may also be one of the many trinkets from the Victorian Period. Small metal purses, containers, etc. were all the rage back then. But they were usually from low grade silver. This container appears to be iron. (?)

Rick
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Old 29th April 2018, 08:05 AM   #11
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Hello,
for me, old european holy water container,
often associated with rosary
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Old 29th April 2018, 02:49 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rickystl
It may also be one of the many trinkets from the Victorian Period. Small metal purses, containers, etc. were all the rage back then. But they were usually from low grade silver. This container appears to be iron. (?)

Rick
Hi Rick,

As I said I think it's Indian and it's made of brass.
You have hundred of them on the web.
They are called Mughal powder flasks or perfume flasks.
I don't know if they are old or not, but they have nothing to do with Mughal or powder flasks...
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Old 29th April 2018, 05:48 PM   #13
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I think this is the same type of item with unknown use.
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Old 5th May 2018, 05:45 PM   #14
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LOL!!! Well, there's those fish again. LOL I also believe these small containers - with SCREW caps - were made to carry something other than priming powder. It would simply be inconvienant and take too long unscewing a cap versus simply pulling out a plug or pushing on a lever to get access to the powder.
While screw style plugs are not unknown, they only seem to appear on European styled powder horns - for sporting purposes. And even then, they are seldom encountered unless made sometime during the 20th Century.
So I think the originally posted flask above falls into the same catagory as the fish shaped flasks posted by Kubur and Corrado. And if brass, probably of Indian origin.

As a comparison, here is a fish shaped, painted wood flask that does look old. I picked this up from Oriental Arms. Artzi says it's likely of South Indian origin. I ran a long Q-Tip through the flask mouth, and rubbing around produced a small evidence of black powder. So I think this one was used for priming a matchlock of some type. Notice the mouth of the flask was made for a plug, now missing.

Still, I like the design of the flask originally posted. Would clean up very nice.

Rick
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