Author Topic: Lanthorn horn flask with scrimshaw 17th century?  (Read 1236 times)

Offline Dutch Blacky

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Lanthorn horn flask with scrimshaw 17th century?
« on: June 25, 2023, 01:29:26 PM »
I got an offer for an appearently very old lanthorn horn powder flask. Probably  17th century.

What do you think about it?

















Offline Dutch Blacky

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Re: Lanthorn horn flask with scrimshaw 17th century?
« Reply #1 on: June 25, 2023, 03:53:22 PM »
Might this horn  really be  that old?

Or is it a modern remake?

Offline mr. no gold

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Re: Lanthorn horn flask with scrimshaw 17th century?
« Reply #2 on: June 25, 2023, 07:33:32 PM »
Looks good to my eye, DB. If offered to me at a fair price, I would take it first and research it afterward. Mighty fine horn with some great work, iron and horn in it. Thank you for showing it here.
Dick

Offline Tim Crosby

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Re: Lanthorn horn flask with scrimshaw 17th century?
« Reply #3 on: June 26, 2023, 12:53:15 AM »
 I agree. The one thing I am trying to figure out is the mechanism. I get lever to press and open the cap but what do the other two pieces do, the curl and the straight piece.

   Tim

PS: I would say Defiantly a  European piece and from the marking on the base could have hung in an
      armory someplace??? TC 

Offline PhDBrewer

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Re: Lanthorn horn flask with scrimshaw 17th century?
« Reply #4 on: June 26, 2023, 05:35:15 AM »
I think the current & straight piece are for an internal lower slider valve to allow the spout to be a powder measure. Turn over, shake slightly to ensure the spout is full, shut lower lever, and fill barrel with powder by opening top valve.  Not the safest method...
Just a wild guess....

Offline Dutch Blacky

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Re: Lanthorn horn flask with scrimshaw 17th century?
« Reply #5 on: June 26, 2023, 10:44:49 PM »
I got  a picture of a  similar flask.

 



I think you are right.  It might be a internal lower slider valve to allow the spout to be a powder measure.

Offline Dutch Blacky

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Re: Lanthorn horn flask with scrimshaw 17th century?
« Reply #6 on: June 27, 2023, 08:30:17 PM »
I got  some more  photos  from  the  similar powder flask. It seems to be that scrimshaw decorated  powder flasks  have  auf long tradition in Europe














Offline Dutch Blacky

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Re: Lanthorn horn flask with scrimshaw 17th century?
« Reply #7 on: June 28, 2023, 11:39:07 AM »
Maybe Feltwad  could  tell  me  some more concerning these  powder flasks.???? Are the old from  the 17th century?
The asked price is 930€ and for the Sekunden 600 €. Much too expensive for me! 

Offline Sequatchie Rifle

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Re: Lanthorn horn flask with scrimshaw 17th century?
« Reply #8 on: July 06, 2023, 03:46:58 PM »
Looks like a German flask from the late 1700s or early 1800s.
"We fight not for glory, nor riches nor honors, but for freedom alone, which no good man gives up except with his life.” Declaration of Arbroath, 1320

Offline Dutch Blacky

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Re: Lanthorn horn flask with scrimshaw 17th century?
« Reply #9 on: July 07, 2023, 01:31:19 PM »
Yes, these flasks  are rather similar to flasks shown in the katalogue  of the exposition of about 150 powder flasks and horns in the national museum of history and art in Luxembourg in 1995
(the book can still be bought)




The head of the flasks are very similar to a powder flask from Germany around 1650, made from an antler fork.




similar scrimshaw  can be found on flat cowhorn flasks  made in Southern germany






I think these carved horns might have had some influence on the typical scrimshaw horns in America



(Please excuse the bad quality of the fotos)