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

[Matchlock]

A third instance of one of the first and rarest type of trapezoidal powder flasks, combined with a leather pouch, and from the same series as the ones in post #2, ca. 1540, is preserved in the Polish Army Musem Warsaw, incorrectly dated '2nd half 17th c.'

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[Matchlock]

Three samples of surviving small trapezoidal priming flasks of earliest type, ca. 1540:

- Munich Armory Stadtmuseum), one piece only, seen amidst others of later type of ca. 1560-80 (color attachments)

- French private collection(s): Robert Marquisset/Jean-Pierre Yven, Poires à poudre, 1990, nos. 36 & 37 (b/w attachments)
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[Matchlock]

Saxon trapezoidal powder flasks with leather pouch, 1560's, the iron mounts blued, and retaining their original leather suspension strings with wooden beads on the draw-strings;
please note the archaic form of the serpent-shaped vertical cut-off:

Castle Museum Schwerin, Germany (top) and Wallace Colln., London (center);

and a rare variant of drop-like shape: Castle Museum, Schwerin (bottom.

Proveance: The Saxon Royal Collections.

Schwerin items: author's photos.


Further samples of both types: author's collection.


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[Matchlock]

Two Saxon trapezoidal flasks with leather pouch, 1560's-1570, both of finest quality, the iron mounts profusely etched, for officers of the Trabantenleibgarde of the Saxon Elector August (1553-1586):

Victoria & Albert Museum, London.


Pleaese note that on the first item, even the rings for suspension strings are etched!


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[Matchlock]

A rare German priming flask, probably Nuremberg, ca. 1580, the iron mounts figured and the top mount hinged for easy refills.
Height 18 cm.

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[Matchlock]

An arquebusier of Henry VIII's army, ca. 1540, carrying a trapezoid flask on his back.

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[Matchlock]

Trapezoid flasks of North Italian type, just like those in Konopiste (shown in post # 4), ca. 1550-60, are preserved in the famous historical collection at Schloss Ambras near Innsbruck, The Tyrol.
Only the basic layer of the original yellowish velvet covering the wooden body is preserved.
Please note the 1530's style flame-like ornaments on the nozzle and the central obverse mount.
(top two attachments, author's photos).

Another very rare sample from the same series failed to sell in an Italian auction in 2008 (following). Please note the pierced belt hook on the reverse.


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