Powder Flask end? (1 Viewer)

[Cornwallis]

I found this in a field near my village a little while ago, while having a go with a metal detector.

I am guessing it could be a powder flask end but I am not certain and I have no idea of its age or who the figure on the side is. Its about 4cm long.

Does anyone on the forum have any ideas about it?

 

[theBaron]

Not a powder flask, at 4cm in length, but maybe a tin whistle? It looks like there is a rectangular opening below the top end of the piece. That end, along with the rectangular hole, remind me of tin whistles, like your cops carried. The whole piece looks like something that was hollow, perhaps round originally, that has been mashed flat.

Just a guess.

Prost!
Brad

 

[Ken & Ericka Osen/H&A Studio]

Hi There!
Great find... it is always great to find some discarded bit lost long ago by the original owner. It makes me stop and consider what it is and who used it.

I would agree with the whistle identification. It has the right shape, the rectangular piercing just below the mouthpiece and could be aluminum alloy. Although aluminum has been around forever it was incredibly expensive and was not produced on an industrial scale until the late 1880s. I have had military items dated to the mid 1890s made out of aluminum, including a Russian EM canteen.

All of the powder horn ends I have looked at are a copper alloy, often with a spring mechanism to keep the powder from spilling out, and avoid the simple plug that some home made horns have.
Often times the British military ones will have a regimental fractional number on them and almost always...no matter how small a GR or BO with a Broad Arrow.
All the Best!
Ken

 

[Cornwallis]

Thought you might be interested to know that I have just had an identification from a Museum and it has been ID'd as the top of a babys rattle similar to the attached! - I never would have considered that!

 

[thebritfarmer]

Thanks for the update who would've thought that eh ??

 

[theBaron]

Cool, thanks for the update and the pic of the actual item.

Prost!
Brad

 

[Ken & Ericka Osen/H&A Studio]

Wow... That is pretty cool. So is there evidence of a loop on the left side for another bell like the one that is compressed into the right side?
Thanks for the info.
Ken

 

[trooper]

Pity it couldn't have been the end of a baby powder flask.

 

[Cornwallis]

Wow... That is pretty cool. So is there evidence of a loop on the left side for another bell like the one that is compressed into the right side?
Thanks for the info.
Ken

Yes the other side is identical same figure on the side and a loop for the missing bell!