Musketeer's powder flask, decorated with pierced gilt brass with enamel inlay
History note: Brett Collection: pl. CVII, 3
J.S. Henderson Bequest
Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1933-03-16) by Henderson, James Stewart
17th Century, Early#
Production date:
circa
AD 1600
This flask consists of a wooden box in which gunpowder was kept. The nozzle at the top acted as a measure. The musketeer would put his thumb over the end, push the lever aside which opened the flask and upended it so that the nozzle filled with powder. He then released the lever and poured the measured amount of powder down the muzzle of his musket. This type of powder flask was widely used by musketeers in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. They are often highly decorated - the copper alloy plaques are decorated with putti, birds, masks and strapwork and was originally colourfully enamelled – traces of which can still be seen.
Decoration
composed of
gilt brass
Inlay
composed of
enamel
Accession number: HEN.M.453-1933
Primary reference Number: 19656
Stable URI
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Applied Arts
This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:
The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Powder flask" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/19656 Accessed: 2024-11-04 18:10:53
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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/19656
|title=Powder flask
|author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-04 18:10:53|publisher=The
University of Cambridge}}
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