Not currently on display at the V&A

Firearm Accessories

19th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Sawantwadi (made)
Deccan (made)

Matchlock and flintlock firearms required many tools and accessories for their proper use and maintenance. The number of these varied widely. In India the practice of carrying these all on a single belt, usually around the waist, persisted well into the 19th century. Typically the equipment carried included two flasks containing different grades of gunpowder, a coarse grade for the main charge and a finer grade to use in the firing pan. As well as pouches for bullets, wadding, spare matchcord etc., sometimes prepared cartridges were carried, as well as an ignition source such as tinder and a flint or firesteel.


Object details

Categories
Arms & Armour
India Museum
Object type
Firearm accessories
Parts
This object consists of 6 parts.

  • Firearm Accessory
  • Firearm Accessory
  • Firearm Accessory
  • Firearm Accessory
  • Firearm Accessory
  • Firearm Accessory
Brief description
Firearm accessories comprising powder horn and four pouches on a belt, decorated with gold embroidered blue and red velvet, Sawantwadi, Deccan, 19th century.
Physical description
Firearm accessories comprising powder horn, belt and four pouches.
Credit line
Transferred from the India Museum in 1879
Production
Transferred from the India Museum to South Kensington Museum in 1879.
Summary
Matchlock and flintlock firearms required many tools and accessories for their proper use and maintenance. The number of these varied widely. In India the practice of carrying these all on a single belt, usually around the waist, persisted well into the 19th century. Typically the equipment carried included two flasks containing different grades of gunpowder, a coarse grade for the main charge and a finer grade to use in the firing pan. As well as pouches for bullets, wadding, spare matchcord etc., sometimes prepared cartridges were carried, as well as an ignition source such as tinder and a flint or firesteel.
Bibliographic references
  • Egerton, Wilbraham, An illustrated handbook of Indian arms; being a classified and descriptive catalogue of the arms exhibited at the India museum: with an introductory sketch of the military history of India, London, 1880 p.118
  • Lord Egerton of Tatton, Indian and Oriental Armour, London, 1896, p. 118, Cat. No. 556
Other numbers
  • 556 - Egerton Catalogue Number
  • 8640-'55 - India Museum Slip Book
Collection
South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number
2631:1to:6/(IS)

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdOctober 15, 2003
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O84802/firearm-accessories-unknown/
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest