19th Century American Black Powder Flask with Various Minié & Round Balls

This collection includes a 19th-century leather-coated flask was made by the American Flask & Cap Company in Waterbury, Connecticut-sometime between 1857 and 1865.
This particular leather-coated flask was mainly designed to carry and dispense black powder or shot for muzzle-loading firearms by using the dram measurement system.
During that period, leather coating over a metal flasks body, prevented the container from clinking or rattling against a hunter's gear, buttons, or belt, which would otherwise scare away game. These flasks were built with a spring-loaded brass top (charger) designed to measure out an exact, safe charge of black powder or lead shot in drams. Because of its design and dram indentations, this flask was for muzzle-loading rifles and shotguns for the huntsman during that period and NOT had been useful for combat munitions (Civil War 1861-1865).
A dram is an archaic unit of weight (1/16th of an ounce, with 1 dram equaling roughly 27.3 grains of black powder. Flasks featuring adjustable spouts marked in drams (typically 2 to 3¼ drams) were designed for muzzle-loading shotguns.
Hunters adjusted these spouts to tailor shot and powder charges for different game. This is why modern shotgun shell boxes still list a "dram equivalent" today. This still compares smokeless powder-power to the historical black powder dram measurements used by 19th-century sportsmen. This flask measures 9” Long and 4” wide and about 2” deep (unknown capacity).
This 19th century flask is a non-excavated item and is in Very Fine (VF) condition.
Also included in the collection are the various mid-19th century ammunitions in the photo gallery. There are ten total excavated non-fired rounds (cartridges) that mostly likely fell out of a box during that period. These round balls and minié balls are in different calibers (diameters) for rifle, shotgun, pistol, or possibly a pre-measured paper cartridge. These rounds are also in Very Fine (VF) condition and true to the period.

Memorylanevintiques picked this item at a Dallas, Texas auction.

* Non-Excavated would be that the item or ammunition never went into the ground. In flasks, it should retain original finishes, leather pliability, hardware rings, and only have minor oxidation or corrosion.

* Excavated (Dug) would be from battlefields, camp sites, and trenches yield metal-detected relics. Because they were buried for decades, their "grade" is heavily dependent on ground action, soil acidity, and oxidation and fired or not.

* Very Fine (VF) condition
Very light wear. Excavated or non-excavated, the brass or iron has a stable surface, and all prominent details, ridges and lead is non-fired or “mushroomed” with minor structural damage.

MemoryLaneVintiques sanitizes all glassware, glazed pottery, jewelry and resin cast items before packing for shipment. 100% Guaranteed!
STANDS IN PHOTOS NOT INCLUDED WITH PURCHASE OF THIS ITEM!
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