Two Curious Spanish Colonial Central or South American Priming Flasks
Two Curious Spanish Colonial Central or South American Priming Flasks
Made from nine banded armadillo tails. Silver mounted. One with the figure of a lion to the lid, one with lid missing. Together with a cut steel fire striker in the form of an eagle or condor, united by a silver guard chain to the larger flask.
Late 18th Century
Size: 9cm high, 6cm wide – 3½ ins high, 2½ ins wide (max.)
Made from nine banded armadillo tails. Silver mounted. One with the figure of a lion to the lid, one with lid missing. Together with a cut steel fire striker in the form of an eagle or condor, united by a silver guard chain to the larger flask.
Late 18th Century
Size: 9cm high, 6cm wide – 3½ ins high, 2½ ins wide (max.)
With watch lock, wheel lock and flint lock guns it was necessary to use finer powder in the pan than in the charge. The act of filling the pan was called priming and the flask was thus the primer. In Europe it was frequently a small counterpart of the bigger powder flask used for charge powder and was often combined with the bullet pouch, but elsewhere a great variety of shapes and forms was used.
Flasks of all kinds have been favourite objects for decoration in all periods and countries, but the primer being small and constantly carried on the person has been particularly chosen for this purpose. These two are highly unusual and especially curious.
Flasks of all kinds have been favourite objects for decoration in all periods and countries, but the primer being small and constantly carried on the person has been particularly chosen for this purpose. These two are highly unusual and especially curious.
Two Curious Spanish Colonial Central or South American Priming Flasks
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