Powder Flask
1600-1700 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Powder flasks were made of hollowed-out cattle horns or closely grained woods such burr maple or boxwood, as in this case, and their purpose was to protect gun powder from water or fire. This flask depicts a boar hunt on one side and a stag hunt on the other, and was more likely used for sporting rather than military pursuits. It was made in Switzerland and dates from about 1600.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Carved boxwood with silver |
| Brief description | Circular powder flask with an open centre, carved in high relief with hounds attacking a stag, and hounds attacking a boar. Swiss, 17th century. |
| Physical description | Powder flask of wood (most likely boxwood) with open centre; carved in high relief on one side with hounds attacking a stag, and on the other with hounds attacking a boar; the stopper, nozzle and chain are of silver. |
| Dimensions |
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| Object history | Comparable objects: A very similar powder flask, signed AD survives in the Royal Danish Kunstkammer founded c.1650 by King Frederick III (1648-70), which contained older royal collections as well as the large collection of the Danish physician and antiquarian Ole Worm (purchased 1655). See Bente Gundestrup, The Royal Danish Kunstkammer 1737 vol I p. 317, no. 769/393 , first recorded 1690, and listed in 1737 as 'A Powder-Horn very skilfully carved by Albrecht Durer; p.322-4, nos. D469a, D469b, CBa39a, D470, D471, CBa40, D3201/1966, C37, 771/409 Another of 'walnut', with the London dealer Peter Finer c2010(?), attributed German (Schwäbisch-Gmünd, c1680) |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | Powder flasks were made of hollowed-out cattle horns or closely grained woods such burr maple or boxwood, as in this case, and their purpose was to protect gun powder from water or fire. This flask depicts a boar hunt on one side and a stag hunt on the other, and was more likely used for sporting rather than military pursuits. It was made in Switzerland and dates from about 1600. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | W.56-1923 |
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| Record created | November 28, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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