Special powder flask
 

I just bought this funny powder flask which originates as says the former owner from India. Comments are invited.
corrado26

dimensions? looks like a small priming flask... cute little thing (i assume it's smallish)

India-Fish-Vishnu?

give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, give him a fish powder flask for his flintlock and you feed him for life.

old native american saying.

...........well..................modified......... .........

Powder flask ?
 

Not certain that you have a powder flask and not being certain can mean I am wrong. OK, it looks to be a heavy casting, most flasks are fairly light weight as you have to carry them. The long thread would not be ideal, I would not like to be grinding fine black powder in the threads as you unscrew the flask. Also if you are trying to use this as a priming flask, powder running across the threads is likely to spray everywhere and not into the pan. Last thought, your piece does't seem to show much age which I would expect to see on a original flask. So I think, not a primer flask but what it is ?

Spot on!

As soon as I have the item in hands I'll post ist weight and the dimensions.
corrado26

Amen to both points !
Visibly made to be laying, not hanging .

Could it be a snuff box or medicine box?

Roland

LIME FLASK
 

IT LOOKS MORE FOR STORING LIME WHICH IS USED ALONG WITH BEETLE NUT AND THEN WRAPPED IN BEETLE LEAVES COMMONLY CHEWED IN INDIA AND SOUTH EAST ASIA.
THIS EXAMPLE LOOKS MORE LIKE A REPRODUCTION BUT WELL MADE
REGARDS RAJESH

Now I have the item here and I can tell that the fish has a weight of 225g and a total length of 115mm. The plug has 13 threads, so I think this might be too much and too difficult to open simply and quickly in order to fill a pan. For closing the flask a maximum of four threads would have been enough. It consequently cannot be a powderflask, but what is ?
corrado26

Stumbled upon this thread looking for examples of snuff bottles...does anyone ha ave any updates thoughts on what this could be intended to hold??

No idea of use but if you look on a well known website you will find many "powder" flasks coming out of India which IMHO one should perhaps be cautious of stated age, as they appear to be modern repros. I tend to agree with BANDOOK's comment that there does not seem to be any great age to the subject piece.
Stu

It's for kajal/kohl (an eyeshadow/eyeliner cosmetic). It's filled with the powder, then the long threads are unscrewed and used as an applicator (having an ideal amount of powder on it and used much like a spiraled makeup brush).

Where it is from is harder to say. These have been made and used in various forms since ancient Egypt. Where both men and women applied it in daily life for many centuries. They are also used modernly by some Muslims for specific medicinal and religious purposes across the globe. They've been used in East-Asia as well at times (prevalence and popularity waxing and waning over time).

I can say they are most popular in India. This is in fact where the fish form of these containers comes from. But the ones made in India for the Indian market typically have articulated scales and no applicator. Of course India is one of the first places to have a truly mass production and industrial minded market concept.

We see this with Indian swords as well. Where some of the most beautiful and finely made swords come from there. But also some of the worst and most plain. India has a long tradition of 'something anyone can afford at least a version of'. So it may very well be a cheaper Kohl container for those that can't afford a silver articulated fish with semi-precious cabochon eyes and cloisonne scales. It could also just as easily be made for export. Or made cheaply and foreigner to imitate the typically more elaborate examples.

I concur with others that this is not that old of a piece. Aside from patina it has rather thick cast lines and dull details (nothing was even etched into it. all details are part of the mold). It was likely (possibly still) mass produced at some point.

I'm familiar with this item because I've bought/sold several very similar ones some years back and had done the book research on them (as some may know I used to be what is now called a "picker"). Unfortunately I can't give you source as I've no longer ready access to the physical research library that I once did.