Author Topic: Bag-Shot bags spout materials  (Read 1142 times)

Offline Shopdog

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Bag-Shot bags spout materials
« on: October 27, 2020, 05:43:00 AM »


In response to a query in the contemporary accoutrements section I'm posting some examples of original ball/shot pouches.  It would seem the greatest point of distinction isn't the bag itself but the spout material.  All these are American and 19th century in age.   From left to right the spouts are made from the following:
1. "Recycled" glass bottleneck (blown with applied lip) early to mid nineteenth century
2. Thick walled tube of leather around which bag leather is sewn and wrapped (still contains shot roughly 7 1/2 size)
3. Crudely whittled wood spout (still contains shot roughly 7 1/2 to 6 size) Note original stopper of wadded up paper
4. Lead or pewter tube and cork stopper
5. Finely shaped wood (possibly turned) and wood stopper
I've also seen a few originals that had spouts turned from bone or antler.
Joe
Joe Davis
“We live in a bloody swamp! We need all the land we can get!

Offline mr. no gold

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Re: Bag-Shot bags spout materials
« Reply #1 on: October 27, 2020, 08:58:52 AM »
Really nice to see these. Good collection! Thank you for posting them as they are really fun to see. In the old days of 'gun shows' I could never pass by one of these without stopping and taking a look. Also, Karl Smith of Ohio published a fine book on these. Appropriately, he titled it "Get the Lead Out." Your pieces look like they could have come right out of his book. Good stuff; you have a good eye.
Dick

codger

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Re: Bag-Shot bags spout materials
« Reply #2 on: October 27, 2020, 11:18:58 PM »
Shopdog Here is one similar to your first and fourth in shape the spout appears to be cane...good collection you have.


Offline Shopdog

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Re: Bag-Shot bags spout materials
« Reply #3 on: October 28, 2020, 12:24:30 AM »
That's one I haven't seen yet but makes sense as a material for a spout!  I've seen at least one cane powder measure. Thanks for sharing. 
Joe
Joe Davis
“We live in a bloody swamp! We need all the land we can get!