What would this be ?

[fernando]

The pictures are horrible (cellphone), but i hope that someone here is familiar with this thing and will recognize it.
It is heavy, made of cast brass, not thin like a powder horn. I think i saw that animal somewhere but i don't recall where; an Indian cow ... maybe not ?
Length about 13 centimeters.
Any help would great.

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[olikara]

Hello Fernando!

I'm visiting the forum after a year and nice bumping into you!!

Yes, it is a cow and is very Indian. I'd go further and put my money on South Indian!

;-)
Nidhi

[olikara]

And the piece is very very Hindu, not only because of the Cow part of it but also because of the Motifs near the cover end which are the most common on South India Hindu temple Ceilings as well as wall bases.

[fernando]

Thank you for your words and for returning to the forum, Olikara; your presence here is so much appreciated.
And ... what do you think is the purpose of this device ?

[mariusgmioc]

Powder horn?

Just guessing.

[olikara]

Originally Posted by fernando

Thank you for your words and for returning to the forum, Olikara; your presence here is so much appreciated.
And ... what do you think is the purpose of this device ?

It is a powder horn. It isn't thin because it is made of Brass not horn or steel. I would place this piece among the same group of Brass articles that still come up in and around Mysore, Madurai, Tanjore like dagger hilts showing zoo-morphic forms with blades, mostly bad ones attached. The period in my opinion would be mid 19th to late 19th C. Even early 20th C cannot be ruled out.

[fernando]

Thank you for your comments. I am surprised that this is a real powder horn; it is rather heavy to carry, has no spout to pour the powder and the screw in the base is rather loose. I would understand if it were a decorative object to resemble a powder horn, but not the real thing .

[Victrix]

I would imagine it’s an object to contain something of religious significance in a temple. The cow is a holy symbol in India. Not sure why anyone would put that on a gunpowder horn. It might have been used to contain oil or spices or something like that? Also, how would it have been stored? I guess it must have been held by some specially manufactured base? There are no specific rings to hang it from.

[fernando]

There is a hole through in the back knob and an orifice (not through) in the mouth, where you could screw a little hook, so that a hanging chain could have taken place.

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[olikara]

Originally Posted by fernando

Thank you for your comments. I am surprised that this is a real powder horn; it is rather heavy to carry, has no spout to pour the powder and the screw in the base is rather loose. I would understand if it were a decorative object to resemble a powder horn, but not the real thing .

I still believe that this is later piece and a powder horn, probably for the rustic householder who would have used the powder to shoot anything from Duck to Wild Boar. Else, it could have been used as a Lime box to store lime which would be spread on betel leaf and chewed as 'Pan'. But such pieces usually have a small chain with spoon/needle near the lid to remove the lime from the box when needed. Lime boxes have been found in may shapes but zoomorphic forms are rare but not unknown.

[fernando]

Noted !