An arquebusiers powder flask of about 1540's

Marcus den toom · 23rd June 2014, 04:53 PM

This Calivermen staghorn powder flask of around 1540’s was sold at the last Czerny’s sale of 31st of May 2014. (Edited on 24-06-2014, title changed to An arquebusier's staghorn powder flask of around 1540's)

The natural staghorn body is as Michl says (quote from http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?p=140341 post 3, line10) “the plainer but much rarer samples are usually the earlier ones, of ca. 1540-50. Most of these earliest flasks were left unpolished retaining their original rough and natural staghorn surface”. The horizontal spring-loaded cut-off does look like the one from a flask dated 1532. The latter is one of a series which you can find reference to in the thread linked above (post 3). Images of this flask can be found in this thread in post 4.
The flask retains its original frog hook and also parts of its blued surface. The lateral push button is made out of two pieces which means it is not of the earliest make (1525’s) but more likely around 1540’s. Even after so many years the moving parts are still operational though!!!
The hook, as on most of these early flask, is mounted with a bolt trough the iron top mount and the staghorn body, fastened by a square nut at the opposite side. There is also a nail protruding from the hook trough the horn body.
The flask also yields another secret, there are some fine grains of black and brown that came out of the flask!!! I attached a picture of this as well, it looks like remnants of black powder but also of some sort of fabric (the brown pieces)?
The two rings which used to have a cord with the tassels at the end through them made me wonder, where these so called suspension ring actually used as such? I think not, seeing as the flask was hanging from either a belt or a leather frog (from the belt/frog hook). Also the weight of a large flask filled with black powder would most likely pull the rings out of the staghorn body over time. Drawings from the time such a flask was used tell us the same story, only the small flask for flashpan use was suspended by a cord. The term suspension rings is often used by auctions so it wouldn’t be a surprise if it were in fact the wrong name, but I am still learning

Measurements:
total lenght 22,4 cm
Staghorn body lenght 16 cm (including the parts covered by the top and base mount.
the base is 11 cm wide and 2,6 to 3,8 cm thick
The top is 6,5 cm wide and 3,6 cm thick (oval like).
the nuzzle is 5,5 cm long and has a outer diameter of 1,1 to 0,8 cm.
The frog hook is 12,1 cm long and 0,6 to 1,5 cm wide.

Special thanks to Michael Trömner, without him i would never have been able to present all this information. Michl, thank you

Similare threads:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ght=calivermen
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ht=powder+horn
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ht=powder+horn
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?p=140341

All images posted within this thread are copyrighted by the author of the post in which these images reside except when mentioned otherwise!!! Infringements will be pursued legally.

Marcus den toom · 23rd June 2014, 04:54 PM

More pictures:

Marcus den toom · 23rd June 2014, 04:55 PM

and even more

Please feel free to ask for any specific pictures

Marcus den toom · 23rd June 2014, 04:55 PM

Image set flask 1532, http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?p=140341 :

Marcus den toom · 23rd June 2014, 04:56 PM

A saxon trabanten leibgarde powder horn, similar to the one in post 2 of this thread http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ht=powder+horn

I found it during my research and found it interesting enough to post it with this thread.

Marcus den toom · 23rd June 2014, 04:59 PM

Even more material on the 1532 flask. I found that these series has both engravings of a noble man and also of a woman. The Version with the man on them are earlier than those with a woman, curious

http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/15285/lot/1259/

"A staghorn powder flask
probably German, 17th Century
The forked section of staghorn carved on the front side with the figure of a lady in 17th century dress, holding a wreath and standing framed by florals and an architectural arch. Iron fittings including a belt hook and top with long spout having a spring-mounted cover.
Condition: Showing dark patina, the mounts with some light pitting, the top loose.
See Illustration
Length: 9 inches.

Antique Arms and Armour San Francisco
15 May 2007 10:00 PDT

Auction 15285"

23rd June 2014, 04:53 PM	#1
Marcus den toom Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Netherlands Posts: 525	An arquebusiers powder flask of about 1540's This Calivermen staghorn powder flask of around 1540’s was sold at the last Czerny’s sale of 31st of May 2014. (Edited on 24-06-2014, title changed to An arquebusier's staghorn powder flask of around 1540's) The natural staghorn body is as Michl says (quote from http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?p=140341 post 3, line10) “the plainer but much rarer samples are usually the earlier ones, of ca. 1540-50. Most of these earliest flasks were left unpolished retaining their original rough and natural staghorn surface”. The horizontal spring-loaded cut-off does look like the one from a flask dated 1532. The latter is one of a series which you can find reference to in the thread linked above (post 3). Images of this flask can be found in this thread in post 4. The flask retains its original frog hook and also parts of its blued surface. The lateral push button is made out of two pieces which means it is not of the earliest make (1525’s) but more likely around 1540’s. Even after so many years the moving parts are still operational though!!! The hook, as on most of these early flask, is mounted with a bolt trough the iron top mount and the staghorn body, fastened by a square nut at the opposite side. There is also a nail protruding from the hook trough the horn body. The flask also yields another secret, there are some fine grains of black and brown that came out of the flask!!! I attached a picture of this as well, it looks like remnants of black powder but also of some sort of fabric (the brown pieces)? The two rings which used to have a cord with the tassels at the end through them made me wonder, where these so called suspension ring actually used as such? I think not, seeing as the flask was hanging from either a belt or a leather frog (from the belt/frog hook). Also the weight of a large flask filled with black powder would most likely pull the rings out of the staghorn body over time. Drawings from the time such a flask was used tell us the same story, only the small flask for flashpan use was suspended by a cord. The term suspension rings is often used by auctions so it wouldn’t be a surprise if it were in fact the wrong name, but I am still learning Measurements: total lenght 22,4 cm Staghorn body lenght 16 cm (including the parts covered by the top and base mount. the base is 11 cm wide and 2,6 to 3,8 cm thick The top is 6,5 cm wide and 3,6 cm thick (oval like). the nuzzle is 5,5 cm long and has a outer diameter of 1,1 to 0,8 cm. The frog hook is 12,1 cm long and 0,6 to 1,5 cm wide. Special thanks to Michael Trömner, without him i would never have been able to present all this information. Michl, thank you Similare threads: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ght=calivermen http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ht=powder+horn http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ht=powder+horn http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?p=140341 All images posted within this thread are copyrighted by the author of the post in which these images reside except when mentioned otherwise!!! Infringements will be pursued legally. Last edited by Marcus den toom; 24th June 2014 at 12:07 PM. Reason: measurments

23rd June 2014, 04:59 PM	#6
Marcus den toom Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Netherlands Posts: 525	more on the 1532 kind of flasks Even more material on the 1532 flask. I found that these series has both engravings of a noble man and also of a woman. The Version with the man on them are earlier than those with a woman, curious http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/15285/lot/1259/ "A staghorn powder flask probably German, 17th Century The forked section of staghorn carved on the front side with the figure of a lady in 17th century dress, holding a wreath and standing framed by florals and an architectural arch. Iron fittings including a belt hook and top with long spout having a spring-mounted cover. Condition: Showing dark patina, the mounts with some light pitting, the top loose. See Illustration Length: 9 inches. Antique Arms and Armour San Francisco 15 May 2007 10:00 PDT Auction 15285"

23rd June 2014, 04:54 PM	#2
Marcus den toom Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Netherlands Posts: 525	More pictures:

23rd June 2014, 04:55 PM	#3
Marcus den toom Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Netherlands Posts: 525	and even more Please feel free to ask for any specific pictures

23rd June 2014, 04:56 PM	#5
Marcus den toom Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Netherlands Posts: 525	A saxon trabanten leibgarde powder horn, similar to the one in post 2 of this thread http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ht=powder+horn I found it during my research and found it interesting enough to post it with this thread.